Cynthia D. Griffin

Indie Author, publisher, publishing, small press, writing

An Interview with Small Press Wisteria Publishing

Posted on January 23, 2020 by Cynthia D. Griffin

I was lurking around Twitter one day in December, when I ran across a tweet that caught my eye. I think it was the avatar more than anything. A brilliant yellow background that grabbed my attention. I decided to take a closer look, and found a really cool freshly started small press.

What really drew me to this small press was the how it was presented. A press run by a writer for writers. The owner, Claire, also seemed very personable and open when I contacted her through email.

I love supporting small businesses. It’s even better when I get to support self-published and indie authors. That also includes small presses. So here’s a little interview I did to help myself and all my readers get to know this press and the owner just a little better.

Thank you, Claire, for taking the time to do this interview! First, I have some questions about Wisteria Publishing.

What is Wisteria Publishing, and what caused you to start this company?

Wisteria Publishing is a small, independent publisher created by a writer for writers. I wanted to start this company for two reasons. The first being that I had experienced being published twice and both experiences weren’t… ideal. Contracts were hard to understand. The second is that I went on to self-publish and loved the process. Also, I love books! Wisteria is a place where authors earn 50% of profits and read contracts that are easy to understand.

How many and who is currently part of Wisteria staff, and how do you want to see Wisteria grow in the future?

Besides myself, I also have a part time editor and part time creative assistant. Ideally in the future, I’d love to make these roles full-time, hire some more staff and even have a little office somewhere. I want it to put out wonderful books.

What is your biggest dream for Wisteria?

My biggest dream for Wisteria is that it is a Good company. That we are known for being appreciative and fair, and that we are always supportive and supported.

What sort of authors are you looking to work with?

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editing, writing, writing advice

My Basic Editing Service Packages

Posted on January 20, 2020January 20, 2020 by Cynthia D. Griffin

I have been doing editing for awhile, but realized I don’t have one convenient place that talks about what I offer. So here’s a run down of the major packages I have right now. If you don’t see something that fits your needs or close to your word count, please feel free to contact me and we can negotiate a price for your work.

I take pride in being able to give writers a spot on assessment of their work as well as ideas for character enhancement, plot development, story structure, and word choice, and of course, the usual punctuation, spelling, and grammar check. Once my edit is complete, you’ll have a comprehensive idea of what needs more work, and what is working well for your piece. I can even give guidance or suggestions (if wanted) to the next steps to take in your publishing journey.

Here is a list down of the editing packages I currently offer…

Flash Fiction: This is for those short and sweet stories that are over in a flash. Will edit any genre up to 1,500 words. Turn around time is about 2 or 3 days. Price is $5.

Chapter By Chapter: This is editing on a budget, or just wanting to work through one chapter at a time. This package is also good for short stories too. Will edit any genre (chapter or short story) up to 8,000 words. Turn around time is about 3 to 5 days. Price is $15.

Novella: This is for a novella piece. Will edit any genre up to 60,000 words. Turn around time is about 1 to 2 weeks. Price is $199.

Novel: This is for a novel length work. Will edit any genre up to 120,000 words. Turn around time is about 3 to 5 weeks, depending on how heavy the editing is. Price is $399.

If what you need edited falls between any of these packages, contact me for a more accurate pricing. I can also do multiple editing passes for one piece to make it as clean as possible at an adjusted rate.

Not sure if my services are for you? Try out my free story, novella, novel consultation offer (you can read more about the offer here). I will read your piece and give an honest over all opinion of how it’s working or not working, and some basic ideas of what to do to make it a better read.

If you would like to see an edited sample of my work, I would be happy to provide one or two upon request. Simply contact me for that inquiry. I have worked with several authors over the years to help them edit and publish their works. I look forward to doing the same for you.

I’m excited to work with you to make your writing the best it can be. I love making stories beautiful, and I appreciate the opportunity to be involved with your work of art. But my editing services don’t stop there! I love being a cheerleader and supporter of writers, so expect my moral support as you publish and beyond.

Are you in need of a book cover? I do that as well. Check out my print and ebook cover packages here.

novel, novella, short story, story consultation, writing, writing advice

Free Short Story, Novella, Novel Consultation Offer

Posted on January 20, 2020January 20, 2020 by Cynthia D. Griffin

I love stories. I love writing stories. I love reading stories. Why? Because there’s nothing quite like that feeling of rightness and satisfaction after finishing a great story.

It’s an even better feeling knowing when I write such a story. Yeah, that’s pretty awesome.

But for me, there’s an even better feeling of accomplishment. And that’s helping other writers feel pride in a story well written, and even helping them get it published.

That’s one of my goals for the new year, to help lift up other writers so they too can feel pride in a job well done. So they (you) can realize the dream of becoming a published author, or just feel freaking amazing for writing and completing that story that’s been a haunting obsession.

I know from experience that writing is not always a clear cut path. Doubt and indecision can be a constant plague. Sometimes even making us question our work, and if we should continue to write. The odds may not seem in our favor, so why even bother?

I want to help alleviate some of that doubt by offering my time and experience. I want to help those seeking guidance in their story, novella, or novel. So on a first come, first serve basis, I am offering free story consultation. It doesn’t matter the length or genre, I want to read your work, and then let you know what I think.

I will give you an honest opinion of how it reads, feels, and my reactions for the over all story. I can also give you an idea of what sort, if any, editing the story will need to complete it. I can also give guidance on steps to take to self-publish, if that’s your goal. Or give tips on how to prep your work for submission to a traditional publisher.

This is just an overview, a start to get you pointed in the right direction, a pat on the back for the parts of writing that are working for you, and a stop sign for the parts that need a little extra help.

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author, author interview, book series, books

An Author Interview with A.W. Exley

Posted on January 16, 2020January 16, 2020 by Cynthia D. Griffin

Isn’t it fun to get obsessed about a book, or a book series? It’s a great feeling to get lost into something exciting. And my latest addiction happens to be A.W. Exley’s Artifact Hunters series. If you missed it, please check out my review of the first book Book Review: Nefertiti’s Heart By A.W. Exley, and earlier this week I did a review of the entire series Series Review: The Artifact Hunters. Now it’s time to get a peak at the author herself. Check it out below.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview! First, I have some questions about the Artifact Hunters series.

This is a fantastic series that brings together an amazing cast of characters. All of the characters loveable with their own quirks. Did you find one character that you liked the absolute most, and why?

Jackson! He didn’t have much of a role in the first book and he was supposed to be this thug in the background. But as the series progressed, he grew on me. He’s got this really tough exterior, and as the story unfolded, I discovered why he was like that. As Cara says he’s a crème brulee––crack that tough outer shell and he’s all soft and gooey inside LOL

I love the way you brought Cara and Nate together. Their stories so intertwined, especially once Nefertiti’s Heart became involved. What gave you the idea for this complex and fascinating artifact? And does it prolong their life in any way? How long will Cara and Nate be around (if you can say without ruining any potential new books in the series)?

Oh gosh… I wrote the book so long ago, I’m going to have to scrap the memory banks! Lol I remember trying to decide what to write and I pulled out my Egyptology books, a stack of true crime, and decided I was going to mash them together. That got me thinking about Nefertiti and what sort of artifact she would inspire. As to how long Cara and Nate might be around… I’ve tried killing them both off already and it didn’t work, so its safe to say they will be around for a bit longer yet 😉

This series is set on the backdrop of cool steampunk artifacts in the Victorian age. It’s a great world you built with lots of history, but with your own personal spin complete with mechanical hearts and beasts. Where did you get your inspiration to create this impressive world? Did you find it difficult to walk the line between fact and fiction?

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book addict, book review, books, series review

Series Review: The Artifact Hunters

Posted on January 14, 2020 by Cynthia D. Griffin

I picked up a book in November that sent me on an exciting reading spree. I did a Book Review: Nefertiti’s Heart By A.W. Exley in November, but after finishing the series decided to contact the author directly. I loved her books so much, I wanted to find out more about them, and her. But before I post her author interview, I wanted to do a post summarizing the five books of her series.

The Artifact Hunters is a series set in the Victorian age with steampunk as the background. The two main characters are Cara Devon and Nathan Lyons. They are two members of the London peerage, but with much different backgrounds. But it’s their fighting spirit and love of adventure that draw these two together.

A series of five books showcase each of their stories, and the their combined story that throw them into some intense situations that will have you on the edge of your seat. Each book also showcases a particular artifact that either needs to be found, or stopped from creating chaos. Here’s a brief summary of each of the books.

Book 1: Nefertiti’s Heart is where the characters Cara and Nathan meet under precarious circumstances. Cara has to decide if she should trust the nefarious Lyons so she can get the money she needs to set herself up for a comfortable life. She also has to deal with her recently departed father and all the ancient artifacts he left behind. You can read more about this book through Book Review: Nefertiti’s Heart By A.W. Exley

Book 2: Hatshepsut’s Collar finds Nathan on Queen Victoria’s bad side. She’s detained Nathan in the Tower of London. Cara must decide how far she will go to help him. And when she discovers that the Queen is wearing a dangerous artifact, Cara must find away to convince the Queen to give it up. In the meantime, Nathan and Cara have a lot of trouble on their heels as they travel by airship to Russia and Siberia.

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