Unpublished/Self-Published Author Profile: ROSA LEE JUDE

This post is the second in a series of profiles featuring currently unpublished and self-published authors. These interviews focus on three areas where both those writers who are looking to find success in traditional publishing and those who are taking the self-publishing path must develop strength: pitching their work, pitching themselves, and creating quality, well-edited work.  None of what is shared in these posts is intended to be prescriptive. Also, a profile is not to be viewed as an endorsement of the author or her/his work. If you'd like to be featured, email your responses to the following prompts to JackDouglasHorn@gmail.com. 


ROSA LEE JUDE

Short Bio

Rosa Lee Jude began creating her own imaginary worlds at an early age. While her career path has included stints in journalism, marketing, hospitality & tourism, and local government, she is most at home at a keyboard spinning yarns of fiction and creative non-fiction. She lives in the beautiful mountains of Southwest Virginia with her patient husband and very spoiled rescue dog.

The Enchanted Journey is Rosa Lee’s second series. She is also the co-author of the award-winning time-travel series, the Legends of Graham Mansion. Learn more about her writing life at RosaLeeJude.com.

Facebook.com/rosaleejudeauthor

Twitter.com/rosaleejude

100 words or fewer, describe your book or story. This is your pitch. Make it enticing!

Perhaps Tremble Dawson should have paid more attention to her unusual bosses at the advertising agency or the sparks that fly out of her fingertips. Despite the clues, Tremble is not prepared to learn that her existence is full of secrets from a magical world. Her life is turned upside down when a handsome stranger offers to be a special kind of bodyguard to protect her from an evil force bent on making her fulfill a twisted prophecy. As she discovers her true identity, Tremble realizes there’s a bounty on her future and she must pay the price.

TREMBLE is Book One in The Enchanted Journey trilogy.

Describe your editing (not writing) process. What steps have you taken to polish your story?

The editing process is crucial. For both of my series, I have used a four-step approach with four different editors. My main editor is the first person to edit the finished manuscript (after tons of self-editing, of course). She makes deep edits that encompass not only minor spelling/grammar errors, but also flow, plot issues, and story holes. My next editor focuses on spelling and grammar as well as inconsistencies in the story line. The third editor reads as a true reader and offers opinions/suggestions regarding how the story interests/grabs her and its believability. Lastly, the fourth editor is the “Eagle Eyes” editor. Between each of the previous edits, I have made changes and updates, the last editor is the final eyes on the manuscript and incorporates all of the previous editing tasks in the final read. While this process is going on, the manuscript is also read by numerous beta readers.

Editing is a daunting process. It is every bit as important, though, as all of the drafts that a writer makes throughout the crafting of the story.