Welcome, Dan Rice

Sometimes it's hard to believe that I'm a first-time novelist. It seems like I've been writing forever––as in my entire adult life. Like many aspiring writers, I spent a long time banging out words to finally make it to the point that I have a novel coming out. Seeing your book for the first time on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Good Reads, etc., is a heady experience that I hope all budding authors will have the absolute joy to experience. I've discovered that writing the draft and mercilessly editing it to a finely crafted manuscript is only the first step, although it is the largest step, on a long journey.

Of course, there's the querying process and the innumerable rejections that go along with it. My inbox is full of rejections for my forthcoming YA urban fantasy Dragons Walk Among Us. The main thing is not to let rejection get you down. All it takes is one yes to go from the slush pile to almost published.

 

The next step in my publishing journey was working with my editor to level up what I had thought was already a damn good manuscript. This was actually a fun and fulfilling process. Following a skilled editor's guidance will help you polish a good manuscript into a great one. I really enjoyed experiencing Dragons Walk Among Us improve in leaps and bounds in a relatively short amount of time.

 

There are other things you'll do to help make your book a reality. I provided input on the cover art, which turned out even better than I ever imagined. I spent a lot of time going back-and-forth with my editor on my novel's blurb and tagline. This was an interesting process. The blurb and especially the tagline emphasize aspects of the story I hadn't even included in the early draft of the blurb. It’s cool to learn how other people see your work.

 

Then there is the promotion. As a first-time author, I didn't know what this would entail. Luckily, it's not rocket science, but it does take time and that means you need good time management because the best move for any author is to write the next book. The promotion aspect is daunting and, to my surprise, can be fulfilling too. For example, Dragons Walk Among Us received a five-star review from Readers' Favorite (https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/dragons-walk-among-us). I remember opening the email for my very first review and fearing it would say my book is horrible. You can't imagine my HUGE relief to discover it was positive.

 

My biggest takeaway from being a first-time author is that publication is not a destination; it's just another way station on the authorial journey. To have continued success, you need perseverance and positivity, and most importantly, you need to bang out the next book.

Bio:

Dan has wanted to write novels since first reading Frank Herbert’s Dune at the age of eleven. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he often goes hiking with his family through mist-shrouded forests and along alpine trails with expansive views. 

Dragons Walk Among Us is his debut novel. He plans to keep writing fantasy and science-fiction for many years. You can explore his blog at https://www.danscifi.com. 

Social Media Links:

Website: https://www.danscifi.com/dragons-walk-among-us

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanSciFi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanRiceWrites

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58108442-dragons-walk-among-us

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/1494113077

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danricewrites/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Dan-Rice/e/B0953RQFB3/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

 

Blurb: Shutterbug Allison Lee is trying to survive high school while suffering the popular girl's abuse. Her life is often abysmal, but at least her green hair is savage. Her talent for photography is recognized by the school paper and the judges of a photo contest.

While visiting her friend Joe, a homeless vet, Allison's life irrevocably changes after an attack leaves her blind. All her dreams as a photojournalist are dashed as she realizes she'll never see again. Despair sets in until she is offered an experimental procedure to restore her vision. But there are side effects, or are they hallucinations? She now sees dragons accompanying some of the people she meets. Can she trust her eyes, or has the procedure affected her more than she can see?

 

Excerpt:

            An oddly familiar beeping wakes me. I shift my cramped body. Ouch. Moving makes me feel like I’m slamming my head against a brick wall. Ugh. I’m lying down on a soft, cushy surface. Fabric covers me. Bedsheets? I’m in bed? How in the world did I end up in bed? 

            I draw in a deep breath, and my eyes flutter, never quite fully opening. A harsh scent hangs in the air like the antiseptic odor of a recently cleaned high school bathroom. Where the hell am I? 

            My eyes blink open, only something isn’t right. I don’t see anything. 

            Nothing.

            At.

            All.

            “Help,” I say, sounding like I’m speaking with a mouthful of toffee.

I try to stay calm, but my body is reacting. Pulse reverberating. Breathing rapid. I’m so hot underneath the sheet I want to tear it aside. 

            I raise my voice. “Help!” 

            Fear slams into my brain like a baseball bat. My eyes are wide open, but all I see is the most intense darkness I’ve ever known. Absolute black.

Links for Purchase:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0951NLKCK

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragons-walk-among-us-dan-rice/1139530393?ean=2940162168041

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/dragons-walk-among-us/id1567778944