On the Cusp is a regular series I do on this blog, comprising an interview with another writer who’s about to become a debut novelist. I send them the standard list of 10 questions and ask them to please pick five, and to also answer the bonus question, since it always leads to unexpectedly interesting answers.
This week we have the Colorado-based Crystal J. Bell, who I know through an online writing group. Her young adult horror novel The Lamplighter will be out in May. Pre-order it here.
What’s surprised you the most during this whole pre-publication process? What have you enjoyed the most?
I’ve been surprised at how hard it has been to navigate social media and the comparison game that comes with it. There is this pressure/notion that you must stay relevant and continue to market your book or it isn’t going to do well. And while it is important to market your book, you absolutely need to recalibrate the way you think and begin to look at your writing peers as friends instead of the competition. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know my fellow 2024 debut writers and reading their books.
I’ve always felt a bit of a loner in my writing journey, so to be part of such an amazing group that lifts one another up when we need and also celebrate our victories has been something I never expected and absolutely enjoy.
Was it a long road to get here? Do you have drawers full of previous manuscripts?
It absolutely was a marathon getting to this point. I began writing my first book (with the intent to query) in 2010. Although I will always love that manuscript (a 172k epic fantasy), I can see now why an agent never offered on it. I had a lot to learn still.
I began querying it in the spring of 2017 while writing my next manuscript at the same time. This went on for a few years until I received an offer of representation from my agent in the fall of 2021 for The Lamplighter. It was my sixth completed manuscript. After I did some more edits on it with the help of my agent, I was on submission for 14 months before we received the official offer from Flux in January, 2023. Most of the manuscripts leading up to it are shelved forever, but my agent and I have pulled one back out, which is currently out on submission.
Was there anything in the journey to publication that you’d built up and then it turned out to be nothing to worry about/an anticlimax?
I built up in my head what it would feel like to finally receive The Call. I’m not sure if it was just my own journey to getting an agent, but when my agent got on the phone (zoom) and offered to represent me, I expected emotional fireworks. The truth was I didn’t feel them at all. I was pretty burned out and I think I was still very guarded with my emotions. I’d experienced so much rejection up until that point and had quite honestly decided to take a break from writing when she ended up offering. It did eventually sink in later that I was finally represented, but receiving the initial Call was anticlimactic.
What do you wish you’d understood better beforehand, about the business?
I wish I had known how much marketing a writer must do for their book. In school I always believed once you got the book deal, your publishing company took care of everything. That certainly isn’t true. While they do the best they can, you still very much have to participate in putting your book out there and connecting with readers and other authors. You can’t just be a writer anymore. You have to wear quite a few different hats.
At least that’s how it currently feels as a debut author. Perhaps I’ll feel different later on in my career.
How nervous are you, on a scale of 1-10 (I’m currently sitting at 8) and how are you dealing with that?
The scale changes daily. I’m so nervous to hear what people think of my book, particularly friends and family. Let’s call it a 9 or 10. When it comes to strangers reading my book … more like a 6 or 7. While I made a point of reading all of my early reviews for a few months, I’ve finally had to tell myself to stop for my own mental health. Reading is so incredibly subjective (I know this), but when it comes to my own book, gah, reviews feel so personal. Nonetheless, I’m extremely excited for my book release and so very proud of my book.
Bonus question: Is there anything else you wanted a chance to talk about?
If your dream is to be a writer, I think it’s extremely important to find your writing family. I never meant for my books to only be read by me. So find your writing family … critique partners, betas, cheerleaders, check-in buddies, etc. They’ll keep you going and help you maintain the passion for storytelling while you work to be published. When things get tough, it’s okay to take a break for as long as you need, but lean on your people and believe them when they tell you to keep going. Your stories are worth it. Someone out there needs them.
For more information visit crystalbellwrites.com.
Lisa Tirreno 