Can you please tell us more about your book?

I will let the blurb of Secrets of a Witch speak for itself: In the sleepy town of Ipswich, Massachusetts, witches hide in plain sight. Shay Whitley, the resident soulmate finder, psychic, and control freak witch, is the last in the powerful Whitley coven. The Whitley legacy is her responsibility. As a dark family secret is exposed, Shay’s world goes up in flames, threatening her family’s livelihood and her single-dom. Her best friend, Dean, is hiding something. A blazingly sexy firefighter, Cade, makes Shay want to spill all her secrets. And her foul-mouthed chatty cat, Mildred, keeps giving her hell. When tarot and spells aren’t enough, Shay must find a way to trust those in the present and from the past to save the entire Whitley Witch bloodline… and maybe her love life.

How long had you been querying/submitting it?

Honestly, I had only been querying for two months since I participated in #SmallPitch. It might even have been less than that. I sent my first query at the beginning of June in 2024.

Had you considered submitting your manuscript to a small/indie press before the #SmallPitch event?

Since this was my first publish-ready novel, I knew that submitting to small/indie presses and self-publishing were absolutely options, but it wasn’t at the front of my brain. This was my first manuscript and time querying in the writing community. I wanted to do it the  “traditional” way. Find an agent and have them sell my novel. I knew getting my first novel on submission with The Big 5 would be a pipedream, but I also thought getting it published—period—could never happen either. To my very happy surprise, #SmallPitch changed all that for me and it opened the door to the real possibility of publishing through smaller presses.

How has your experience been with your publisher so far? (from the #SmallPitch like to today)

Wow, it certainly has been a whirlwind. The editor like that I got through #SmallPitch gave me the confidence to query other small/indie presses. After querying for another month, three indie presses asked for fulls, followed by contracts. I had a VERY big decision to make, but at the end of the day, my manuscript is going to be published. When I signed with The Wild Rose Press, I found an editor who LOVED my novel. She read it in a few short days and gave it lots of positive feedback. I knew she would be the perfect advocate for this novel.

Now, the process has slowed WAY down, but that’s normal with a small/indie press. I’m working closely with my editor to perfect my story. My novel is expected to be released in 2026.

What advice do you have for querying authors?

I have a few tidbits of advice for querying authors. They’ve probably heard it before but it’s about luck and timing. It sounds a little bit discouraging, but all you need is that one person or press to give you an in. Then you have so much more power to bargain. Find that person who LOVES your story, not just likes it. Do your research and query the agents and presses that you like. Don’t just throw your manuscript at everyone hoping one will stick.

Oh, and, PARTICIPATE IN PITCH EVENTS! 😉

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