Authors Advising Authors #2 - Samantha Kane

Samantha Kane has a Master's degree in History, and is a full time writer and mother. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children. She currently has ten stories released at Ellora's Cave.
Email: skane@northstate.net
Website: samanthakane.us

So, Samantha, give us some wit and wisdom about a writing career.

How many books did you write, and how long were you writing, before your first acceptance?
I sold my second book. The first is in a file in my cabinet waiting for rewrites before it sees the light of day.

What is the most important piece of advice you would give an aspiring (not yet published) author?
Finish the book. Type THE END and move on. You can only tweak a book so much before it becomes an obsession rather than a work in progress. Set goals, meet them, finish the book and start another one immediately.

Is there a "warning" you would give an aspiring or new author about the writing profession or the publishing industry, something to watch out for?
Selling the book isn't as important as selling it to the right person. Do your homework and don't be afraid to say no.

What was the most surprising thing you learned after you became published?
How much I liked the notoriety. ;-)

What is your best advice or enlightening story about dealing with revisions and working with an editor?
Just do it. It's business. You're a writer. You can write it just as well the second (or seventy-fifth) time as the first. Revising and editing your book will not ruin it. Look at it as an opportunity to make good, better, and better, the best.

What is your favorite promo tip?
A professional-looking website that is easy to navigate and that focuses on selling readers your books is and will always be your best promotional expense. The biggest bang for your buck. Never a waste of time. Am I getting through? Social networking sites are fun and will help you connect with readers. Your website will sell your books.

Did you have an agent when you sold your first story? Do you have one now? At what types of houses are you published: e-publisher, small print press, traditional (NY) publisher, Harlequin/Silhouette category lines?
No, I did not have an agent. No, I do not have one now.
E-pub and small print press.

What can we be looking forward to reading next from you, Samantha?
My next release (Dec. 11) is Love In Exile, the newest installment in my Regency historical series Brothers In Arms. Love In Exile features new characters, but characters from previous books appear in supporting roles. Only one of the main characters in Love In Exile is a veteran of the Peninsular War, Gregory Anderson. Gregory is a famous naturalist and explorer, and he's half-Polynesian. He meets Nat and Alecia Digby, a young married couple, just days after he returns to London after a long absence sailing and exploring the South Pacific. The three set out to enjoy a brief, meaningless, erotic liaison. But much to their consternation, love refuses to be left out.
And for all those who have asked, Very, Wolf and Kensington's story will be coming next year.