This week's featured author is first-time independent novelist, Marc MacDonald, and he's kindly offered to talk to me about his debut novel 'Autumn', due for release in October 2024.
Hi Marc, why don't you start by telling me a little about who you are and how you came to write your debut novel?
Who am I?
Great question, and I suppose it depends on the day you’re asking.
I’m a dad and husband first, but beyond that, I’m a communications professional in my day job and a writer in my free time.
I live in Canada, near Niagara Falls, and as a relative local, I fail to appreciate the magnitude of my location next to a great wonder of the world.
I’ve had 'Autumn' in my head for as long as I can remember – which doesn’t say much given I have a terrible memory – and it has been slowly writing itself between my ears until I finally put pen to paper in 2020.
'Autumn' is a literary fiction endeavour and will be published in October 2024.
Can you tell me what prompted you to write this book?
I’ve always wanted to write a book, and when the pandemic hit in 2020, and there was an excess of available time, I finally sat down to do it.
Writing has been a central part of my life since I was young, and like many during COVID, I was finally kicked into gear to achieve a long-standing goal. It also helped to pass the time (if I'm being completely honest).
Can you tell me what 'Autumn' is about?
Here’s the synopsis:
For Alex Chambers, the burden of past mistakes hinders his ability to move forward in life, stifling his readiness to embrace the present.
His journey to Silver Springs Health and Rehabilitation Centre was meant to be a path to redemption, a chance to make amends for youthful errors. Little did he know that fate had a different plan in store.
From the moment he steps into the facility’s weathered corridors, Alex is greeted not by the easy path he envisioned but by a series of challenges that test his resolve in ways he never anticipated.
His hopes of finding forgiveness from the woman he wronged are dashed, replaced by a new, unexpected purpose: caring for Mae Seasons, a plucky, foul-mouthed, unapologetic senior resident of Silver Springs.
With her sharp wit and disregard for social niceties, Mae becomes Alex’s unlikely companion on a journey of self-discovery.
As he struggles to unearth Mae’s secrets while guarding his own, Alex finds himself gradually unravelling the knots of his past, reevaluating his present, and tentatively embracing a future filled with newfound hope.
Through laughter and tears, trials and triumphs, Alex and Mae form a bond that transcends age and circumstance, forged through a series of comically bizarre, heart-warming, and enlightening adventures that prove one can find friendship and love when least expected, in the strangest of places, and with the most unlikely people.
Autumn is a poignant tale of forgiveness, redemption, and the transformative power of human connection. It reminds us that, no matter our past mistakes or present struggles, love and friendship can bloom in the unlikeliest of places, bringing light to even the darkest corners of our lives
Do you have any other literary claims to fame?
'Autumn' is my first novel, but as part of a work project this year (2024), I wrote a children’s called 'Wonders of Welland' (welland.ca/wow).
It chronicles the year in the life of a young boy and his family after moving to a new city. It highlights all there is to do in the city and is designed to alleviate fears and anxieties of such a move.
As an independent author, what was your process for publishing?
I would classify this as a hybrid of hybrid publishing.
Though it’s self-published, I worked with a company, Friesen Press, for editing, layout and design, and some marketing.
Being the first time I have ventured down this path, I have learned a lot; some I would do again, some I would not.
I had a few beta readers, but they were close friends and family, so not the best feedback in terms of brutal honesty. That said, I’ve had many ARC readers, including Canadian best-selling authors Amy Jones and Terry Fallis.
What have your learnt from your writing and publishing experience?
I’ve learned so much, it’s hard to pin down specifics.
That said, I would say I rushed and maybe didn’t do as much homework as I could have. There are so many resources available to help authors get moving along on their publishing journey, and sometimes, going a la carte with services is better than having everything wrapped into one.
For book number two, I will likely move more to the a la carte approach, working with different editors, designers, etc., and keeping a better timeline for when things are due so that publication dates can be more predictably determined.
What’s next for you? Do you have more books in the pipeline? Can you give a hint as to what to expect?
I have about eight books happening in my head right now, all of which I hope I do, in fact, write.
For now, however, I’m working on my second book, and I'm roughly 40,000 words in.
Without giving too much away (and partially because I’m not entirely sure where I’ll take the narrative) it’s about someone who is lost in life, determined that they’ve been dealt a rough hand, and subsequently takes on a 'woe is me' attitude.
Based on a major life event, the main character finds themselves in a town they know nothing about, people or amenities, only to find there’s a group of unlikely people who will help him realise that things aren’t necessarily as bad as they seem.
It’s still being fleshed out, but I think there’s something there.
What advice do you have for other authors looking to publish?
Take the plunge, whatever form that takes.
Do your homework, and find a path that fits your needs, budget, and goals.
You won’t regret seeing your book in the world, and for self-publishing, none of us know what we’re doing the first time.
A final note from Marc
The last thing is this: whether it’s “Autumn” or any indie book, give it a chance.
We’re not all going to be best sellers and Oprah Book Club picks, but there are so many wonderful novels out there that you’ve never heard of.
Visit an indie bookstore, check out indie author events, and support fledging writers.
Find Marc online
Author website: www.marcmacdonald.ca
Friesen Press bookstore: https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000427130022
Instagram: @marcmacwrites
Please note: Any views expressed in this post are those of Marc MacDonald and not those of Hayley Rushbrook or Proofreading by Hayley.
I hope you've enjoyed this post. If you have your own author story you'd like me to feature, please get in touch.
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