Multi-published
and award-winning Raleigh author, Nancy Lee Badger, presents a paranormal
romance set in North Carolina filled with a fabulous art museum, the Blue Ridge
Mountains, and the terror of the
Atlantic Ocean off Cape Hatteras. A love of art, especially the bronze
sculptures by the French master, Auguste Rodin, helped give her ideas
that brought this story to life. Although previously published by a small publishing house, this series
never had a chance to get into the hands of many readers. She has re-edited the
book and will widely distribute the series. This is a stand-alone full-length book is the
first book in the Warriors in Bronze novels to be followed by Heaven-sent
Highlander.
Asleep inside a
bronze statue, a naked Frenchman wakes a century later to save a half-Fae, museum
curator from a demon bent on ruling our present-day world.
Interview
- When your publishing house closed, what were your
first thoughts about the future of your books—and what inspired you to
take the leap into self-publishing?
I was devastated,
of course. The Warriors in Bronze series was dear to my heart as
that take place around North Carolina. After moving here from New Hampshire, I
visited the Blue Ridge Mountains and the ocean along the Outer Banks. Within 5
miles of my current home is an art museum with a massive 164-acre property
where I set part of the book.
- How did the editing process change for you as an
indie author compared to when you were traditionally published? Do you
work with freelance editors, critique partners, or handle revisions solo?
I tried my hand
at self-publishing a novella after taking a class with a local author. The
story, Dragon in the Mist, made some money then won an award. I was
hooked! Self-publishing requires editors (I paid some and used volunteer family
members) cover making (luckily, I know how to make covers) and promotion. Small
publishers don’t help with the last one. Since this series had been published
by a publishing house, they were close to perfect. I still edited them.
- Cover design plays such a huge role in the romance
genre. Can you share what the process has been like recreating your
covers? Did you work with a designer, or did you take on that creative
task yourself?
I make many of my
covers myself, but constantly looked at others to see the best methods. When
people shop for a book on their phones, the cover looks tiny. You need the
theme, colors, title, and author name to work in a small space. A historical
novel’s cover is different from a contemporary or paranormal cover. I loved the
original covers in this series, but the ones I made are different…cleaner.
- What has surprised you the most about managing all
the pieces of publishing on your own—from formatting to marketing?
There is not
enough time or money to get it right, it seems. My husband’s support has been
critical. He is my rock and a pretty good Beta Reader. Formatting can be
intense, especially when things look wrong. At times I think “I’d rather be
writing!”
- Has your writing process evolved now that you’re in
full control of your publishing timeline? Do you find more creative
freedom, or are there new challenges?
Nothing has
changed, since most writers work on their stories before considering how they
will ‘sell’ them. I submitted a recent short story to be included in a
fundraiser for my local writer group. They will release a book filled with
short stories and poems in September. Once I have enough of my own short
stories, I plan to put them together in one anthology and self-publish that. Writers
generally write because they want to. Not just for money (although money
helps!)
- What advice would you give to other authors facing
similar circumstances—especially those thinking about re-releasing their
backlist independently?
Do it! Letting
the stories die would be a sin. A writer works hard to create the stories and
goes through all the publisher’s rules, so take some time to re-read it, make
notes, update timelines. Don’t just slap a new cover on the old manuscript. For
example: Heaven-Sent Warrior has my couple driving over a bridge. It’s a
good thing I realized that since originally published, the bridge had been
damaged in a hurricane and was replaced with one named something else.
- Looking ahead, are there any exciting new projects
or stories you’re working on that your readers can look forward to?
The two
other books in the series are Heaven-Sent Highlander and Heaven-Sent
Flame. They are edited, new covers are made, and both are available for
pre-order on Amazon. They will be released in May and June. I keep going!
Author Bio
Nancy Lee Badger grew up in Huntington on New
York’s Long Island. After attending Plymouth State, in New Hampshire, she
earned a Bachelor of Science degree and met and married her college sweetheart.
They raised two handsome sons in Rumney, New Hampshire while she dreamed of
being a writer. When the children had left the nest, and shoveling snow became
a chore, she retired from her satisfying job as a 911 Emergency Medical
Dispatcher and moved to North Carolina, where she writes full-time.
Nancy is a former member of Romance Writers of America and its local
chapter, The Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, as well as the
Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers. She is currently a member
of the Triangle Association of
Freelancers based in the Raleigh area. She finds story ideas in the most unusual
places.
Connect
with
Nancy Lee Badger
Website
Twitter
‘X’
Facebook
Amazon
Author Page
BookBub
Goodreads
More books coming soon!
.jpg)
.png)
