Author Interview With My Friend, Carrie Schmidt: How To Get Past the Publishing Gatekeepers

 

Hi! Today, I am interviewing my good friend, Carrie Schmidt from Reading is My SuperPower. She is a contributor to the book How to Get Past the Publishing Gatekeepers. which just released and we'll be talking about today.

RL: Hi, Carrie! Welcome, to Radiant Light.

Carrie: Hi, my friend, thanks for having me.

RL: It's my pleasure. Let's kick this off with some fun get-to-know-you questions.

If you could hang out anywhere for a week would you go to the beach or a mountain lake?

Carrie: Oh, mountain lake for sure. The mountains are my happy place. I’m not a fan of the beach… though I do like a rocky coast.

RL: I vaguely remember us talking about this. I'm not surprised.

Do you like apples or oranges?

       

Carrie: Apples. I live on apples. Especially Honeycrisp apples. Also, I’m allergic to oranges.

RL: I had no idea you were allergic to oranges! I just bought some Honeycrisp apples at Costco and they're yummy. I see why you like them.

When it comes to curling up with a good book would we find you drinking coffee, hot or iced tea, water, or something else?

Carrie: Usually a diet coke but if a hot beverage is required then it must be hot cocoa 😊

RL: I can't drink any diet drink because they usually have aspartame in them and they cause seizures . . . so, I'm usually drinking water or sweet tea. I love hot cocoa, too! Especially, in the winter.

What is your favorite book character from your childhood?

Carrie: Oh man…. That is a toss-up between Nancy Drew and Aslan. A very odd combination, I realize LOL.

RL: I love them both! Spent many hours reading Nancy Drew and The Chronicles of Narnia as a kid. 

Here on my blog, I say that it is a radiant light, and source of encouragement for both readers and authors. What do you hope radiates from your daily life?

Carrie: That’s a great question. I hope that Jesus radiates from my daily life. His love, His grace, His truth. I also want people to be encouraged that their story matters.

RL: That's beautiful my friend! I love it and pray that Jesus radiates from my life and hope authors and readers alike know the story is important.

You are one of the busiest ladies I know; reader, reviewer, blogger, blog tour company owner, etc. .., How did you get involved in this book project?

Carrie: Busy … insane … it’s a fine line LOL. I was minding my own business, with no plans to ever write a book, when I was approached by Hope Bolinger & Linda Fulkerson with the invitation to represent the reader/influencer industry gatekeepers in this book. I honestly did not have time for a project like this, as already noted above haha. But I felt God nudging me to say yes. So I did 😊  

RL: I love how "You were minding your own business." Isn't it great how God nudges? When we say yes, it can definitely stretch us which is a good thing. I'm so glad you said, yes!

What does it feel like to be a published author?

Carrie: Excited & terrified all at the same time. Lol. Actually, it’s very surreal to be on this side of the curtain, so to speak. I’m still not sure it’s sunk in yet. 

RL: I can't even imagine. I am so incredibly excited and happy for you! 

What is your hope for people who read this book?

 

Carrie: I want people to know that their story matters, to be encouraged not to give up in this publishing journey, and – for my section in particular – to feel less overwhelmed with the process of finding and keeping readers.

RL: That is awesome and I so hope this book does that for so many authors; whether beginning the published journey or already in the throws of the journey.

RL: Thanks for spending some time with me today, Carrie. I really enjoyed learning more about you.

Carrie: You're welcome. Thank you so much for such fun questions.

Here is more about Carrie Schmidt:

Carrie Schmidt is an avid reader, book reviewer, story addict, KissingBooks fan, book boyfriend collector, and cool aunt. She also loves Jesus and THE Story a whole lot. Carrie started the popular blogReadingIsMySuperPower.org in 2015 and since then has had the honor of co-founding the Christian Fiction Readers' Retreat and JustRead Publicity Tours. In addition to these endeavors, she is a regular contributor to Seekerville and has written for magazines such as RT Book Reviews and Christian Market. Carrie now lives in Georgia with her husband, though her roots range from East Tennessee to Central Kentucky and northern Illinois. You can connect with Carrie on ReadingIsMySuperPower.org, Facebook @meezcarriereads or @meezcarriewrites, and everywhere else social at @meezcarrie.

About the book:

Remember when Dorothy finally reached the Emerald City only to be halted by the Gatekeeper, blocking her hopes of seeing the Great and Powerful Wizard?

The path to publication is like that. Agents, and Editors, and Publishers, oh, my! Each one is a barrier between you and a publishing contract.

But what if you understood what agents, editors, publishers, and readers really want?

If you’re struggling to get past the publishing gatekeepers, this book will give you a behind-the-scenes peek at how to win the heart of each type of publishing professional. In fact, Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers won’t just give you a peek—it will give you a guided tour. In this book, four publishing professionals—an agent, a publisher, an editor, and an influencer—share what it takes to unlock each “gate” within the publishing industry.

Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers is a must-have resource for all aspiring authors, and it offers insights to help multi-published authors as well.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | BookBub