Ask the Author: E.N. Joy
Answered Questions (12)
E.N. Joy
Good afternoon! Congratulations on penning your book. In order to get your book to move, you have to move. You have to invest the necessary time, money, and hard work.
You also have to learn everything you can about the business of being an author. I have several free resource that you might find useful:
Path To Publishing free newsletter at the following link:http://eepurl.com/csO7xb
Follow the Path To Publishing Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PathToPublis...
Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business free newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/czJ7Kn
Follow the Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/actlikeanaut...
I'd love to see you right in Las Vegas for this year's "Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business" Conference. Here is the link where you can find more detailed information about the conference:
https://www.pathtopublishing.com/conf...
I hope this information helps.
Blessings!
You also have to learn everything you can about the business of being an author. I have several free resource that you might find useful:
Path To Publishing free newsletter at the following link:http://eepurl.com/csO7xb
Follow the Path To Publishing Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PathToPublis...
Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business free newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/czJ7Kn
Follow the Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/actlikeanaut...
I'd love to see you right in Las Vegas for this year's "Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business" Conference. Here is the link where you can find more detailed information about the conference:
https://www.pathtopublishing.com/conf...
I hope this information helps.
Blessings!
E.N. Joy
I plan to finish up Babylon Sisters by Pearl Cleage. I started it some time ago, but then life happened. Life for me, as author, means I had to meet writing deadlines and editing deadlines. As an editor and literary consultant, my job is reading, so finding time to read for leisure is so rewarding.
E.N. Joy
I think the main mystery in my life would be that of my biological father. My mother was married when she got pregnant with me . . . but the father was not her husband.
There was the whole thing with her husband signing the birth certificate and claiming me as his own, but me not getting his last name, which was my mother's married name at the time. So everyone in the house had the same last name . . . but me. The last name I received wasn't even my biological father's. It was my mother's deceased father's last name.
I asked very little questions of my mother about my biological father and the entire affair. I felt embarrassed, so I'm sure she was. I never wanted to open up any old wounds and cause her pain. There was a part of me that always felt that not knowing some things were best. Knowing everything could cause me the same pain she had in her eyes.
My mother has since passed. I must admit that I've done a Google search or two in an attempt to locate my biological father, but all I have is a single name, and I don't know if it's his last name or a street name.
I suppose "I Don't Even Know His Name" would be a nice title :-)
There was the whole thing with her husband signing the birth certificate and claiming me as his own, but me not getting his last name, which was my mother's married name at the time. So everyone in the house had the same last name . . . but me. The last name I received wasn't even my biological father's. It was my mother's deceased father's last name.
I asked very little questions of my mother about my biological father and the entire affair. I felt embarrassed, so I'm sure she was. I never wanted to open up any old wounds and cause her pain. There was a part of me that always felt that not knowing some things were best. Knowing everything could cause me the same pain she had in her eyes.
My mother has since passed. I must admit that I've done a Google search or two in an attempt to locate my biological father, but all I have is a single name, and I don't know if it's his last name or a street name.
I suppose "I Don't Even Know His Name" would be a nice title :-)
E.N. Joy
The favorite fictional couple that I've ever written about is Ryan and Paige in More Than I Can Bear and When All is Said and Prayed. I love how Paige trusted her instincts and made love wait, while Ryan trusted God and waited on love.
I just did an advance read of a book titled Passion of the Streets by A'zayler. The couple Jamil and Gia is going to have you feeling like love truly does conquer all. I know that sounds so cliche' and corny, but their connection moves you like that.
Who is your favorite fictional couple and why?
I just did an advance read of a book titled Passion of the Streets by A'zayler. The couple Jamil and Gia is going to have you feeling like love truly does conquer all. I know that sounds so cliche' and corny, but their connection moves you like that.
Who is your favorite fictional couple and why?
E.N. Joy
Hi, Wanda. I'm so glad you enjoyed the "Angel Series" about First Lady Angel and Lady Arykah. As you know it was an eBook only series. We recently had a publisher acquire the book for print publication. All three parts will be combined into one printed book and will be released December 2016. In the meantime, my writing partner and I, Nikita Lynnette Nichols, are working on a part two full-length novel. Thank you for taking the time to ask me a question about my work, and thank you even more for supporting my work. Blessings to you!
E.N. Joy
The best thing about being a writer is that I get to rule the world...with my pen.
E.N. Joy
The New Day Divas series was incited by my publisher, Carl Weber of Urban Books, but birthed by the Holy Spirit. God used Mr. Weber to pitch the idea to me; sort of plant the seed in my spirit, of which I prayed on and eventually the seed was watered and grew into a phenomenal five book series that I am sure will touch readers across the world.
My goal and prayer with the New Day Divas series is to put an end to the Church Fiction versus Christian Fiction dilemma and find a divine medium that pleases both God and the readers.
With book one, She Who Finds a Husband, launching the series, readers will agree that this project is one that definitely glorifies God in every aspect, but still manages to display in a godly manner that there are “Church Folks” (church fiction) and then there are “Christian Folk” (Christian fiction) and come Sunday morning, they all end up in the same place.
My goal and prayer with the New Day Divas series is to put an end to the Church Fiction versus Christian Fiction dilemma and find a divine medium that pleases both God and the readers.
With book one, She Who Finds a Husband, launching the series, readers will agree that this project is one that definitely glorifies God in every aspect, but still manages to display in a godly manner that there are “Church Folks” (church fiction) and then there are “Christian Folk” (Christian fiction) and come Sunday morning, they all end up in the same place.
E.N. Joy
She's No Angel is a book I co-authored with Nikita Lynnette Nichols. It's part one of an eBook series. In She's No Angel, the main character, Angel, stumbles into church one day and ends up a First Lady when she catches the preacher's eye, heart and soul. She is unchurched, timid, shy; just a babe in Christ trying to figure out what this God thing is all about and how to be a pastor's wife at the same time. She's on the right path, until a church mother puts up a road block. All Angel wants to do is try to get into heaven. But first she'll have to go through the pit of hell Mother Calloway puts her through.
I came up with the storyline because I once did a book signing at a First Lady's Conference. It was such an amazing experience that you don't get to take part in unless you are an actual First Lady of a church. They don't even allow the armor bearers to accompany the First Lady to the workshops/functions. My publishing company was blessed to actually get to set up inside the main ballroom where the keynote speakers would minister, unlike most of the other vendors who were lined up out in the corridor. I was so captivated by the camaraderie and the connection between the women. It brought tears to my eyes. They were women from all over the map from various denominations, but at that time they had one thing in common; sharing, connecting and communicating their joys, strengths, weaknesses, trials, triumphs, tribulations, situations, stories and testimonies amongst one another. It was a beautiful thing...and often quite entertaining. I'd only wished everyone could experience what I had witnessed, so I decided to give them just a hint of it in this book. When I shared my idea with Nikita, she was all on board. In just the first week of releasing Part I, we were getting swamped with inquiries regarding the release of part II.
I came up with the storyline because I once did a book signing at a First Lady's Conference. It was such an amazing experience that you don't get to take part in unless you are an actual First Lady of a church. They don't even allow the armor bearers to accompany the First Lady to the workshops/functions. My publishing company was blessed to actually get to set up inside the main ballroom where the keynote speakers would minister, unlike most of the other vendors who were lined up out in the corridor. I was so captivated by the camaraderie and the connection between the women. It brought tears to my eyes. They were women from all over the map from various denominations, but at that time they had one thing in common; sharing, connecting and communicating their joys, strengths, weaknesses, trials, triumphs, tribulations, situations, stories and testimonies amongst one another. It was a beautiful thing...and often quite entertaining. I'd only wished everyone could experience what I had witnessed, so I decided to give them just a hint of it in this book. When I shared my idea with Nikita, she was all on board. In just the first week of releasing Part I, we were getting swamped with inquiries regarding the release of part II.
E.N. Joy
I just co-authored She's No Angel, which is part one of an eBook only series. By 2015, Part II of The Angel Series should be out. It's titled Angel On the Front Pew. Also, book 3 of my "Always Divas" series releases February 2015. It's titled You Get What You Pray For. In 2015 I plan on hosting book clubs and readers in every city in Ohio, starting with my All Red Book Release Party on February 28 in Dayton, Ohio. Details are on the events page of my website www.enjoywrites.com
E.N. Joy
First off, I need to make my usual disclaimer; I have a ghost writer. Yep, I said it. I sit down at my computer without a thought, care or outline in the world and I take dictation from my ghost writer. And everyone who knows me knows that my ghost writer is none other than the Holy Ghost. I allow God to give me the messages He wants for His people. His timing is always right, so readers seem to get the message during a period in their life when they need it most. I'm sure tons of authors can attest to this. We'll go back and read the proof pages of our books and say, "Who wrote this amazing book?" LOL. We can't remember writing half the stuff or even where it came from. We ask ourselves how did we ever come up with that idea. Well, we didn't. God's not going to give you a gift and a talent and, one, not make room for it, and two, not show you how to use it. So my ghost writer comes up with the book ideas and my fingers just run with it!
E.N. Joy
As an author who has written under many names and many genres, I am often asked advice from both aspiring authors and seasoned authors as well. Even as a seasoned author, there is still always so much more to learn and it's always a blessing to be able to engage in the quality of sharing among other authors. With that being said, I'd like to share what I think is the most valuable advice an author could ever receive: "KNOW AND GET YOUR AUDIENCE BEFORE YOU EVEN FINISH THE BOOK!"
I know; sounds like hustling backwards, right? Sounds like creating a hype for something that doesn't even exist, right? Sounds like fraud-a scam, right? WRONG!
The most valuable thing an author can ever do is to generate a fan base-have tons of people sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for a book to come out. Think about it; doesn't Hollywood do it all the time when it comes to movies? Doesn't the Lifetime Movie Network have the ladies setting their DVR months in advance for a movie with all those teasing previews they show? Or the huge wrestling events have men doing pay per view months in advance? Shouldn't the same go for the literary world?
I say yes, and that authors should stop selling themselves short by not considering their product to be something so worthy that folks need to mark their calendars for its release...pre order, etc... Hustling backwards is creating a product, filling your warehouse, garage, dining room, etc... with it, and then trying to figure out who would want to buy it and how to get them to buy it.
The minute a person knows they are going to write that book and they have that title engraved in stone, they should create a cover. Even if it's just a mock cover with a black background and the title is in a large white letters, create a visual to give people. Begin promoting it. Begin teasing people with a synopsis and one liners from the book. Create a website giving the release date. Have no idea when the book will be done? Then just say "Coming Soon." Once there is a concrete release date, begin taking pre-orders. Please be realistic with that release date. There is nothing worse than having a reader sitting on the edge of their seat waiting for a book to come out, and then the release date comes and goes, especially if they have pre-ordered it. By that time they have moved on to the next author and no longer trust that the book will ever come out.
Every chance the author gets, they should tell people about their forthcoming title. Get all their friends and family to tell people as well. Create a social networking page. Take out ads with literary promotional companies. Get book marks, postcards, etc... Even send book stores information about the forthcoming title. Of course the author needs to do all of this while writing the book, but as I always say (and any author will tell you), writing the book is the easy part. Selling it is the killer. Writing the book may be a passion, but selling it is a business. I strongly believe if an author generates their audience first (and knows who their audience is...who the book will appeal to), do some marketing and promoting before the book is ever even written, it will make the task of selling the book once it is released that much easier.
I know; sounds like hustling backwards, right? Sounds like creating a hype for something that doesn't even exist, right? Sounds like fraud-a scam, right? WRONG!
The most valuable thing an author can ever do is to generate a fan base-have tons of people sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for a book to come out. Think about it; doesn't Hollywood do it all the time when it comes to movies? Doesn't the Lifetime Movie Network have the ladies setting their DVR months in advance for a movie with all those teasing previews they show? Or the huge wrestling events have men doing pay per view months in advance? Shouldn't the same go for the literary world?
I say yes, and that authors should stop selling themselves short by not considering their product to be something so worthy that folks need to mark their calendars for its release...pre order, etc... Hustling backwards is creating a product, filling your warehouse, garage, dining room, etc... with it, and then trying to figure out who would want to buy it and how to get them to buy it.
The minute a person knows they are going to write that book and they have that title engraved in stone, they should create a cover. Even if it's just a mock cover with a black background and the title is in a large white letters, create a visual to give people. Begin promoting it. Begin teasing people with a synopsis and one liners from the book. Create a website giving the release date. Have no idea when the book will be done? Then just say "Coming Soon." Once there is a concrete release date, begin taking pre-orders. Please be realistic with that release date. There is nothing worse than having a reader sitting on the edge of their seat waiting for a book to come out, and then the release date comes and goes, especially if they have pre-ordered it. By that time they have moved on to the next author and no longer trust that the book will ever come out.
Every chance the author gets, they should tell people about their forthcoming title. Get all their friends and family to tell people as well. Create a social networking page. Take out ads with literary promotional companies. Get book marks, postcards, etc... Even send book stores information about the forthcoming title. Of course the author needs to do all of this while writing the book, but as I always say (and any author will tell you), writing the book is the easy part. Selling it is the killer. Writing the book may be a passion, but selling it is a business. I strongly believe if an author generates their audience first (and knows who their audience is...who the book will appeal to), do some marketing and promoting before the book is ever even written, it will make the task of selling the book once it is released that much easier.
E.N. Joy
Any author who disagrees with me will have a short lived career. Our husband, wife, mother, brother, sister or mentor might have encouraged us along the way of our literary journey, but none of us would be where we are today without the motivation and inspiration the readers provide by their continued support of our work. Readers are the boss of me! The number one entity that I feel has supported me are-hands down-THE READERS. What I need readers to understand is yes, as an author, a part of me wants to write stories that I myself want to read. But the moment an author begins to make it all about themselves and not the reader is when the author needs to rethink their purpose for doing what they do. Ultimately, when a product is created, it is created to please and satisfy the consumer. Well, if you are a writer, your product is your collection of written words and the reader is your consumer. Readers are my literary heartbeat. When they send me their testimonies and words of encouragement, it keeps my creative blood flowing to the brain. My readers inspire me to challenge myself. Not all readers reach out to me with praises; some with constructive criticism and then there are those who maybe could have been just a tad more diplomatic in their lashing. When ever I felt as though a certain book might not have reached anyone or that my reach as an author all together just never seemed to stretch far enough, one of my readers would confirm with an email or Facebook message that my writing is not in vain. I don't write for myself and I'm absolutely not one of those authors who you will hear say, "If I could just sell one book and reach one person, then I'm happy; I've done my job." No ma'am and no sir. I do not put all that I put into my work-sacrifice all that I do-just to sell one book or reach one person. Did Jesus set out to reach just one person? Did Jesus go through all that He did and die on that cross just to save one person? I think you get my point... I live breathe, eat and sleep (well, not much sleep) this literary thing. It’s real. It’s not a hobby. It’s not something I do on the side. It’s my life. I take it serious. It’s my craft, my career, my first love and now it’s my ministry. With that being said, readers need to know that when I put something out for them, I’m truly giving them my all. And if I fall short of their expectations, I’ll do everything I can to try to do a better job next time in order to earn and keep their readership.
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