As promised, today we have an interview with independently published author and illustrator, Lesley Fletcher. Lesley’s journey to publication is a special one that I think all authors can benefit from reading about it.
Lesley, who lives in Canada, has not “always been a writer”, though in retrospect, she recognizes that writing was something she has long been moving toward. Likewise, she has not long been an artist, though the undercurrents of emotion running through her paintings will surprise (and, I’m sure) delight you.
In a follow-up call, I asked Lesley about her inspiration. To me, it sounded as if she enters a state of mindful meditation. Lesley called this “realization, not meditation.” She explained, “Realization is an opening up of yourself. When you open yourself, it is very surprising what can become. There is no rejection.”
Certainly, Lesley’s journey underscores that philosophy – that there is no “can’t.”
Once she began writing, Lesley looked at the opportunities available to publish her book. She realized that she could not do it all herself. She found Maggie Pagratis, of Custom-Book-Tique, through Elance.com, the freelance connection site. ”Never in a million years did I think I would use it (Maggie’s phone number), but I put it in my phone. I don’t know why.”
Lesley wanted to put together a package that she could send to agents and publishers. For some reason, she remembered Maggie’s phone number in her contacts list and called her up. Right off the bat, Maggie asked her, “So, how many years do you really want to give this?”
“I didn’t feel that at that stage of my life I had years (to dedicate to finding an agent), but I wasn’t willing to let it go.”
She quickly determined that following the traditional path to publication (finding a literary agent, who in turn searches for a publishing house) was not for her. Not because she doubted her ability to be successful along that path, but because she did not want to wait.
“I’m a gambler at heart,” she said, “a risk-taker.”
So Lesley made the decision to self-publish. She looked into the many different print-on-demand companies, and eventually chose a printer in Hong Kong to print Prom Girls. ”I wanted it to be special, to be a keepsake book. To get the pages as thick as I wanted, it was going to be cost-prohibitive (to print it elsewhere).”
Lesley’s gamble paid off. Prom Girls did turn out to be a special book. The pages are velvety, the colors rich and textured. The stories are at once evocative and charming. It is the perfect book for a mother to hand down to her teenage daughter – though it may take the daughter a few years to recognize herself within the pages.
To learn more about Lesley’s journey, please keep reading:
"Prom Girls" by Author & Illustrator Lesley Fletcher
You live in Montreal, but you seem to travel quite a bit. Can you tell us a little bit about your travels?
My real travel started when I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity – Global Village. Until then although I traveled it was within cultures that were familiar to me. Stemming from experience of middle east travel and volunteerism came the need (bug) to continue on the same vein and so can now add Tajikistan, Jordan and Turkey to my list of adventures and knowledge bank…
When did you start writing?
My writing came directly from my art (the Prom Girl’s series) about 3 years ago. Prior to that I had interest but no belief in my capabilities.
Have you always dreamed of becoming an author?
In retrospect (only) I can say yes. This dream, if you will was put aside by other factors in life. It was a revelation to me to go back to my own earlier written words and discover this forgotten passion.
Did you study art or writing?
I have taken about 50 hours to date of the art of Monoprint. It requires no technical drawing skills so suits my informal education of art. While I have taken writing courses and excelled in high school, I can not say writing is a studied field of mine. I have been told by my peers and mentors that my talent is a natural talent which comes with its own distinct set of works.
You have three books out, Hey Angel!, All I Want for Christmas is a Wishmas Tree, and Prom Girls – A North America Rite of Passage. In March, you are scheduled to release your fourth book, “Healing with Words.” Can you tell us if there is a common thread, or idea, that runs through your books?
The common thread is ‘me’ – by this I mean that all my writing comes directly from my heart. I have been told as much. My writing then takes on a flavour which revolves around the understanding of humanity and its complexities.
BTW I am completely behind schedule with the release of my 4th book and have changed the working title to “Halfway to Destiny”, which better suits the content.
Where do you find the inspiration for your stories?
The world around me. I have learned to become open. With this ability I find myself receiving rather than conceptualizing personally. In other words – things just come to me when I place myself in places or situations and open my mind to ideas and feelings. A great example of this is Hey Angel! This book was a gift to me – it came to me quite suddenly out of the blue. One minute I was thinking of words that rhyme, and the next minute I had the concept for a book. I was shaking with anticipation of getting the words on paper… Yes I work on paper a lot.
I read one interview you did in which you confess that you did not attend your own high school prom, but that the idea for your book, Prom Girls, came from your daughter’s experiences with preparing for her prom. Can you tell us more about that?
I am not sure that my daughter’s prom gave me the idea but more that I got a lot of the ideas from my experiencing the process. I found it quite fascinating and much deeper than what meets the eye.
"Hey Angel!" by Author & Illustrator Lesley Fletcher
Of the four books you have written, do you have a favorite? And, if so, why is it your favorite?
This is difficult as I love each equally as I would if I had 3 children; however Hey Angel! puts the biggest smile on my face as I speak about it. The feedback from parents of children who have been read the book is very rewarding. The lay out and design is unique. The angel is a charming, lovable creature and the premise is age old with a new twist. The cover is stunning too – it is eye candy in itself. To see an adult woman spontaneously cry on the last page means I did my job. I found some soft spots, conjured up emotions and gave meaning to what, at first glance, is a simple little book.
Oftentimes, an author will pair up with an illustrator to who will provide the artwork for a book. You’ve chosen to use your own art. Can you tell us about coming to that decision?
I never thought of hiring someone for something I so enjoy doing myself. I can not imagine describing what I needed to accompany my words. My art is an emotion on paper and I think that is large part of what sets me apart.
You own Inspiration Import, which is billed as an “independent publisher.” Can you tell our readers about Inspiration Import and what services it will offer to other writers?
The concept behind Inspiration Import is to build a library of books that I find appealing – that tie in with my own philosophies. More and more writers are opting to take this route as the traditional publishing world is extremely difficult to enter. I am far from accepting manuscripts at this time, but do envision it. Offering content regarding independent publishing on my site is a plan in the works. The process is a slow one that can not be rushed. One piece has to fit the next and the build has to be on a solid base. That base is important and that is where I am now.
Just as a point of clarification, did you self-publish under your own name, or did you use your company, Inspiration Import, as your publisher?
I published under my company name. It is a perfect name 
Have you always planned to self-publish, or did you first look into traditional publishing?
The look at traditional publishing was a quick one. I felt the time restraints and pathways were far too difficult to maneuver. The infrastructure of traditional publishing is a tight one.
Why was it important for you to self-publish?
I wanted to get my books ‘out there’ without having to make changes based on marketing. ‘Independent’ seems like a better term than ‘self’ in my case because as a first-time author, I knew I needed help at some point and went out and found it.
Can you tell us what, in your experience, were the best, and worst, parts of self-publishing?
The best part of course was the satisfaction of seeing the finished product in my hand. I must have read each of my books about 15 times. The most difficult part was the technical aspects as I had a whole slew of learning to do which cut into my creative time.
You chose Lulu.com as your printer. Can you tell us a little about that decision? What made Lulu stand out for you?
I actually did not end up choosing Lulu, though their product was beautiful and the ease of the process simple. I had Prom Girls printed in Hong Kong so I have ready stock of it. Hey Angel! and Wishmas are available, along with Prom Girls, through Create Space, Amazon’s print-on-demand publishing house. As well, I hold a minimum physical stock with Inspiration Import.
"All I Want for Christmas is a Wishmas Tree" by Author & Illustrator Lesley Fletcher
You’ve worked with Maggie Pagratis, of Custom-Book-Tique.com, which offers book layout services. Can you please tell our readers about working with her?
I can not sing her praises loud enough. Maggie is a diamond and a great source of knowledge and positivity and inspiration and creativity. I honestly could not have produced my books without her. Her mentorship and professionalism have been a godsend for me. Have you seen her covers? They are prize winners !
You’ve done some book signings. Can you please tell our readers how you managed to arrange that?
Leg work mostly. In order for someone to know you they need an introduction. Most places take a copy of your book and get back to you. If they don’t then call them or show up and speak with them. When you are selling your book you are selling yourself along with it. Face-to-face is always good if it is possible.
You’ve also been written about in newspaper articles. Did you hire a PR firm to oversee your public relations, or did you take on that job yourself?
I wrote a press release (with mentorship) and hired 2 press release companies. (PRweb was one of them) The invitation for the interview came to me because the subject of prom was being written about. Timing is everything and timing can also be elusive. There is nothing carved in stone. If someone has the budget for it I would highly recommend hiring a PR person.
What kinds of marketing have you done for your books?
My marketing strategies are a work in progress…There are not set rules to marketing. I have websites for my company as well as for Hey Angel! and Prom Girls. I am working now on branding my own name. There are so very many ways and niches to market, I could not get into all the details. Be seen – be on the internet – be accessible – be inventive.
"Tango" - a painting by Author & Illustrator Lesley Fletcher
What do you think has been the most important aspect of your marketing efforts to date?
I think that defining myself as a writer / artist and defining my target market are the most important aspects because, let’s face it, if you are remise on this straight off the mark, then you could inadvertently head off in the wrong direction and get lost very easily. It is a finicky hit-and-miss scenario sometimes. I can repeat this line again here: Be seen – be on the internet – be accessible – be inventive – be out there.
You mentioned to me that you’ve lately been looking into digital publishing, as well as print-on-demand. What do you see as the pros and cons of digital publishing?
At this point, it is pounded in stone that digital publishing is the way of the future and the future is now. There are wrinkles to iron out, such as in the case of printed words with images (the images get mis-placed or are only in black and white etc). Digital printing in partnership with paper print is the best of both worlds.
If it takes off sales-wise in digital, then printing up a few thousand copies will likely follow. Books stores are still a great place to go for the look and feel. The upcoming generation of buyers is more comfortable with digital format than with paper books and that is a fact. With the advanced technology and ease of iPads and Kindle, etc., there is no question in my mind. Of course there are exceptions that can not ever be produced in digital format, but for the most part … such as a beautiful book with beautiful paper, images and feel.
Obviously, self-publishing has worked for you as you are about to release your fourth book. Have you considered using your success as a self-published author to approach one of the traditional publishing houses to sign you as an author, or do you prefer to go it alone?
That remains to be seen. Experience so far has taught me that I have to be careful not to spread myself too thin. If and when I see that happen, then I will make a decision. Some days, I would like to just write and produce art, and that is difficult to do along with running the marketing, distribution, and leg-work side, along with the technical. The short answer to this is, yes, I have considered it.
Where are your books sold?
For the time being they are on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble and other online sellers – also in a few smaller book stores. I am currently working on a distribution of books across Canada with Chapters.
"Dancing Solo" by Author & Illustrator Lesley Fletcher
As an independent publisher, was it difficult to get bookstores to carry your books?
Yes, and it still is. The stigma that remains attached to self or independent publishing is the quality of the book. How to convince the book store that you have superior quality products, that in fact had your book is professionally edited, that the lay-out and design are up to standard, and that your content is both unique and correct is a challenge.
Are there any mistakes you made during this process that you would caution other authors not to make?
No not really. I think that the adventure of the unknown is a wonderful part of the ride. I guess if I had one piece of advice it would be not to make your illustrations too heavy – for instance when scanning them – scan at a lower resolution if you have many images. Prom Girls’ illustrations were scanned at 600 dpi, and it ended up being a completely massive file that is difficult to open, never mind upload. I was going for superior quality, when 300 dpi would have given me almost the same result with half the headaches…. Websites in general like to keep images light, so in many cases just uploading one image becomes an impossibility due to the size of it.
Are there any final thoughts or suggestions you can offer to other authors just starting out?
Tenacity – Confidence – Know yourself and know your product. Know when to ask for help and how to listen to your own heart and mind first and foremost. When you come to a crossroad, let it sit and then go back refreshed and with a new approach. As with anything, the learning curve is steep and slippery sometimes, but so worth the climb once you have conquered it. Truly listening to others ,while being able to sort out what would best apply to your product, is worth its weight in gold.
"Spanish Dancer" by Author & Illustrator Lesley Fletcher
A few days after our initial interview, I checked back in with Lesley with a few follow-up questions:
When do you expect to release your fourth book, “Halfway to Destiny”?
I am not 100 % sure of a release date – I am muddling about blogging it… and then printing it as a ‘beautiful book’.
Can you tell us a little bit about it?
It will be a combination of my art and poetry. It is an emotional piece of work that has me in tears sometimes during edits !! :) While it has been written for the most part, it is far from complete as I still have the plan to complete and several more edits.
I have been told by many of my friends who have read a preview or two, that it hits hard and evokes strong emotions… and to quote one man – “Les, you can’t find your keys or your passport, sometimes don’t know what day it is, but you can reduce a room full of men to tears with your words…”
Poetry that hits the nerves of even non-poetry-loving people, as well as those who appreciate being reminded of their own destiny – if you will. It is me “growing up” and being exposed even more than my other 3 books.
"Rush in Grey" by Author & Illustrator Lesley Fletcher
I am still chuckling over a line in Prom Girls – “What the heck is wrong with everyone these days? Don’t they know this is supposed to be a happy carefree time in their lives? Excited!” Your stories about the events leading up to prom night bring back so many memories. I think the word that can best sum up most of my memories is, “fraught.”
Thanks – now I’m smiling too!
I am sure you must receive a lot of feedback from readers about Prom Girls as you have so perfectly captured the feelings of everyone involved. Is there any story in Prom Girls that your readers most identify with?
I have heard, “Oh, Baller reminds me of my prom date!” followed by an irrepressible giggle – I know people like the boy/girl aspect of course, but they also like the comparison to yesterday’s youth. I hear the word ‘charming’ and ‘nostalgic’ often. The younger readers are rather surprised at some of the insights, and are drawn to the illustrations. The thing that stands out the most, though, is that it brings back memories of being 17-years-old whether or not prom was a part of the readers’ life.
While each of your books is different, can you give us a rough estimate about how long it takes you to go from inspiration, to writing to publication?
So far the time has been relative to the actual size of the book and number of illustrations. I worked like a demon to complete Prom Girls because it was just so full of avenues and illustrations. I finally took 4 days straight at a friend’s place in Vermont, during which I was totally isolated and finished it up. Had I not forced myself to call it ‘done’, I could have continued as each person I spoke to about being 17 had a story I could have easily slipped in.
From start to finish, with my 3 types of books, was around 4-5 months for Hey-Angel!, 4-6 months for Wishmas and 8-12 months for Prom Girls. I did work on the last 2 simultaneously …
"Turkish Dancers" by Author & Illustrator Lesley Fletcher
In our follow-up phone conversation, I again asked Lesley if she could offer some tips to other writers. Here is her reply:
Take the time to set yourself up properly and keep yourself very organized, especially with the filing system. Make sure your edits are numbered. File each book separately by its ISBN and keep track of the number of pages of each.
And, finally, just because you are writing and will self-publish, doesn’t mean you cut on anything. The editing is very important. I don’t care if you are a scholar. You need a 2nd and 3rd set of eyes on it. It is very important to go for help because no one can do everything and it is every writer’s responsibility to keep that quality.
If readers want to contact you directly, which address should I send them to?
Below are the various Amazon links where you can find (and purchase) Lesley’s books.
All I Want For Christmas is a Wishmas Tree
For Bulk Orders, please contact Lesley at Inspiration Import
A note from Lesley: I am prepared to offer discounted prices to schools and deeper discounts for fund-raising.
To read more about each of Lesley’s books, please follow these links:
And for more on Lesley herself, please visit her author site where she displays both her books and her gorgeous art. Please note that this latest site is a work-in-progress and, as Lesley points out, far from complete.
Author & Illustrator Lesley Fletcher
A very Special Thanks to Lesley Fletcher!
Tomorrow, we will be featuring two of Lesley’s poems, “The Gypsy” and “The Flame.”
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Beautiful books, beautiful art, beautiful interview.
Thank you, Maggie!
I am looking forward to posting your interview soon. You are a wonderful resource for indie-publishers and I know so many will benefit from learning more about you and your services (and the fact that you are such a prolific writer yourself).
Best to you,
Kaete