Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Romantic suspense
Formats: $9.99 mass-market paperback | $9.99 ebook | $25 audiobook
Released: July 9, 2024
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala has over 140 books in print across seven genres―romance, young adult, western, general fiction, women’s fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books. First published in 1991, she has won multiple industry awards. She lives in Oklahoma, the state where she was born. Left Behind is the fourth book in her Jubilee, Kentucky, small-town romantic suspense series.
In Left Behind, Jubilee PD officer Wiley Pope thinks he’s ruined things with Linette Elgin. He hasn’t seen or heard from the local nurse since their first date went disastrously wrong. But when Wiley walks in on a bank robbery with Linette as one of the hostages, his training and protective instincts kick in. A heroic bullet to his armor-protected chest is enough for Linette to forgive Wiley’s past mistakes and be willing to begin anew.
When asked what contributed to the book landing on New York Times bestseller list, Sala said: “Sometimes it’s all about how your traditional publisher places you in their lineup and the effort they put into the PR it takes after a book is released. But even more important is having faithful readers who are always clamoring for your next new book.” In Sala’s experience, it’s vital to keep releasing new titles, with no more than 12 months between. It also helps when books are part of a series. “[I] have readers who have been following me from book one, but with each new book I write, new readers find me. … They go on a treasure hunt to find the titles in my backlist.”
She urged writers to invest the time to research and write with detail; to be willing to cut anything that slows the pacing; and, especially if self-publishing, to invest in a qualified editor and professional cover designer. Also, be prepared to promote and put in “years and years of walking the beat.” During that time, be ready to adapt.
“When I first began, publishers did not approve of us making a name for ourselves, and personal promotion wasn’t encouraged,” she said. “Newsletters were popular for a long time, as well as a bookmark for every title. Thousands upon thousands of readers used to write to us for an autographed bookmark. … Oddly enough, self-publishing took the power away from traditional publishers. They used to demand we write in only one genre … with cookie cutter stories, and that was never a good fit for me. It’s why I always wrote for multiple publishers. If one wouldn’t let me out of the box, another might like it, or I’d just publish it myself. If you don’t advocate for yourself in this business, you won’t survive.”
Emily Wenstrom is a freelance writer and platforming expert and writes award-winning speculative fiction for teens and adults as E. J. Wenstrom.
E. J. Wenstrom believes in complicated heroes, horrifying monsters, purple hair dye and standing to the right on escalators so the left side can walk. She writes dark speculative fiction for adults and teens, including her new release, a young adult dystopian novel titled Departures (August 10, 2021). When she isn’t writing fiction, E. J. Wenstrom is a regular contributor to DIY MFA and BookRiot, and co-hosts the Fantasy+Girl Podcast. Learn more at her website.
