Today is the eleventh in a series of posts by San-Diego-based writer Thomas Shess who has decided to keep a journal on his journey to find a publisher for his novel.

Week Eleven

Good News. Last week, I closed The Zoo* feeling something good was about to happen. Maybe it was a mirage after 11 weeks of searching for a publisher or a literary agent for my first novel. But, as a result of two solid conversations with two publishing professionals last week, I now feel much better about my future as a published novelist.
Here's what happened.

The Prequel. Last Friday, Robert Walters, an author's rep for Author House arrived in San Diego to meet with me. He was at the tail end of a West Coast swing meeting with other authors. Anticipating the meeting, I spent the previous day speaking with Mike Sirota, a noted San Diego-based book doctor.

I wanted Mike's take on publishing on demand (POD) and Author House. Mike Sirota has an excellent reputation for fixing books and he has a wonderful demeanor. He's able to be erudite and easy-going at the same time. I've wanted to work with Mike for the longest time because I feel any first novel is like a big hunk of Swiss cheese. I won't belabor the analogy. But, frankly two things stopped me cold. Reason one was two years ago I was not being able to come up with the $1,500 for a thorough analysis and reason two I wasn't ready to show the work. Why pay to have someone tell me my book had holes. That I saw with my own eyes.

I wanted to know how solid the publishing by demand concept was. Mike believes POD is here to stay and that it is a good thing for everyone. He sees a rosier future for POD than he does for publishing books on the web or on hand held devices.

Readers simply prefer the feel of a book in their hands. You just can't turn the page of a thriller on a computer screen.

The Zinger. On the subject of me paying Author House to publish my book, Sirota said if I was set on self-publishing that he had heard good things about Author House, but wasn't savvy on any details. He explained to me that no matter who published my book that I had better be prepared to do much of the promotional heavy lifting myself.

Was I willing to pound the pavement on behalf of my novel? he asked.

My answer was simply: I can't wait.

Then he asked me the zinger, the one question that has kept me up a couple of nights in a row. He calmly asked if I thought my novel was truly ready to be published?

Bingo. Truly always gets me.

From the recesses of my brain that cliché of clichés we've all heard spilled forth: you never have a second chance to make a good first impression.
Instant angst. Immediately, I was in a Perry Mason episode stuck in witness stand with only a minute left in the show. I stammered my best "I dunno. I guess so."

My blathering answered his question.

I had one of the best book doctors in the West on the phone and all I could say was I think so.

My road to self-publishing was now paved with self-doubt.

Eyes Wider Open. With one well placed cannon shot, Mike Sirota opened my rookie novelist eyes even wider. Before I take the next step to publish my novel I must have the work in the best possible shape in order to give it any chance to succeed in one of the world's most demanding marketplaces.

I thanked him for his time and he wished me well.

Frankly, his words still haunt the *&^* out of me.

Here's Mike's very tight and to the point website.

The Meeting. Robert Walters met me in San Diego to discuss my novel. I really like the feel of that last sentence. Even though this was our first in-person meetings, he's been the one assigned to me three weeks ago when I first called. So, I felt like I knew him already. Nice man. He patiently answered all my questions.

Upfront I liked the fact that for $699, Author House will prepare my novel as a black & white trade paperback. They will design a full-color cover, obtain International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and register my novel with distributors so that it may be available for sale via "print-on-demand" at retail outlets using those systems.

I will be able to have my book published within three to six months and I retain all creative control of my novel plus all rights to my work.

What are those distribution outlets? Scott informed me after the book is complete and ready to go, Author House will make it available for order at 25,000 retail outlets worldwide , on the Internet via Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Borders.com, and through the Author House online store.

The meeting focused on my novel, too. We discussed my conversation with book doctor Mike Sirota.

I confessed I had doubts that my manuscript was in the best form.

He pointed out for an extra fee Author House provides copy editing at 1.5 cents per word.

I said I felt my copy editing was fine.

What I now needed to know was did Author House provide a book doctor on its list of options?

No.

Again, I asked myself is my book ready to be published? Is the plot cohesive from beginning to end? Are the characters consistent? Are there any major land mines (gaffes like having my main character in two places at once)?

Again, my answer was "I think so."

Not good enough, I said to myself.

I decided I needed to sit down with a professional book doctor in order for my work to meet my standards. I am a professional writer with a solid reputation in West Coast magazine journalism. For my own set of standards I had to be 100 percent sure that what I put out under my name was the best that I could do.

Robert Walters agreed.

Bottom line is I still want Author House to publish my work, but I'm not going to pull the trigger until I find someone like Mike Sirota to be my book doctor on a page by page basis.

I feel pretty good about that decision.

As the conversation with Robert Walters wound down, I asked if Author House had published a book in my genre (suspense/thriller) that reached best seller status.

Yes, he said. Tom Hargrove published with Author House to bring his novel Long March to Freedom to market. It became a blockbuster movie "Proof of Life," with Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe in starring roles.

Did John Grisham ever self-publish?

Yes.

Oh, really.

There's so much more this rookie novelist needs to know.

* Because it's a jungle out there.