From The Gauntlet:
A little over a decade ago, Steena Holmes began writing in her spare time while working as a receptionist in downtown Calgary. After winning a short story contest, she found herself looking for publishers for her first novel. Holmes continues to self-publish books, including the 2013 novel Sweet Memories, which quickly became a New York Times best-seller.
Continuing to write in Calgary, Holmes’ upcoming book, The Forgotten Ones, is on track for a April 1 release. She’s set to take a first step into the psychological thriller genre with the new novel.
. . . .
Holmes draws on her own past and upbringing for the book, which is set in her hometown of Kincardine, Ontario.
“I was able to use a lot of my memories growing up,” Holmes says. “[I use] the hospital — my mom used to work there and I used to volunteer there. I have fond memories of the cafeteria there, walking the hallways and what not.”
Holmes, a long-time advocate of indie publishing, also reflects on her experiences starting off as a writer.
“I really loved the journey I’ve been on. I started off with small presses and then I went self-publishing. I chose working with Lake Union [Amazon] for specific reasons. I knew that I would be able to find a broader audience than if I just continued self-publishing on my own or if I focused on getting my book into stores,” she says. “But going with Amazon and being able to self-publish, opened doors for readers, which has always been my goal.”
. . . .
“Here in Canada, there’s more of an acceptance to literature [compared to the United States], but there isn’t a lot of cohesiveness or acceptance to writing in general. It’s a lot of, ‘I do this, you do that,’ ” Holmes says. “I just wish there was a little more acceptance to different paths of writing, instead of the assumption that it has to be one or another.”
Link to the rest at The Gauntlet
I’ve got a poster hanging in my office, an aerial view of Kindardine. Beautiful town, and the beaches are amazing.
Biggest mast in the harbour belongs to my parents’ sailboat.
Best thing about that area is that it is too far north for Americans from Detroit and too far west for Torontonians to drive on a long weekend. Heaven!
Getting published by an Amazon imprint is not exactly indie, is it?? Not if indie means self-pub.
Baby steps, they don’t want to plunge into it head first with both feet! 😉
Sounds like she submitted/published to small presses first, then began to self-publish, and finally, went with an Amazon imprint.
Or at least, that’s how I read it.