A little backstory
I host a critique group for writers called Atlanta Writes.
Through this group, I get to meet a lot of talented writers at every stage of development.
It just so happened one day that a member from the group, David, announced that he was throwing a book launch party for a novel he had completed and self-published.
We were all invited.
What I loved about this party is that David used it as an opportunity to promote the works of other local indie authors. This is how I met Jonathan French. He was a guest author at the launch party.
As I mention in the article, I became an instant fan of his work after hearing him read it. I rushed to his table, bought his book, signed up for social media updates, mailing lists, etc.
A few months later, Jonathan announced through social media that a well-known editor from one of the “big five” publishers discovered his self-published book and he was getting a book deal.
I just had to cover his extraordinary story. I reached out to him, wrote the article and later pitched it to WritersDigest.com.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON WRITERSDIGEST.COM
OR
SCROLL DOWN FOR A SAMPLE OF THE TEXT
Article Excerpt
On a Sunday night in October 2016, Jonathan French stepped into the spotlight on the small stage of the Highland Ballroom in Atlanta. He sat on a wooden bar stool, turned to page one of his epic fantasy novel The Grey Bastards, and captivated the room.
French evoked crisp, cinematic images of Jackal, his half-orc protagonist. Flanked by two half-breed comrades, Jackal prepared to face off with an arrogant cavalry captain: a human who would learn never to provoke a Grey Bastard. On stage, French proved to be a gifted storyteller controlling the pitch and tone of his voice like a seasoned raconteur. At the end of his reading, the crowd applauded with an enthusiasm that had been absent during his introduction. Little did French know that his career was on the edge of a breakthrough.
(Click here to read the entire article on WritersDigest.com)
So What’s Next?