- Nov 11, 2018
- 5 min read

Authors Spotlight: Shellie Palmer; an inspiring woman & talented poet

Updated: Jan 14, 2019

Dear Readers,

Realistic Poetry International is excited to present, Shellie Palmer, Author of "The Journey Ahead (The Poetry)," and "An Unexpected Journey: The Journey Collection Series Book 5)", and a passionate advocate and voice for mental health, celebrating her journey and endeavors as a writer, woman, and poet.

With multiple books published and a story to tell of her own, we are pleased to share an exclusive one-on-one between Author Shellie Palmer and Realistic Poetry International that goes behind the scenes to get up-close and personal with one of poetry's most serene, influential spirits!

Don't forget to comment and share, as we truly value your feedback!

The Journey of an Author; You're not alone

1. What inspired you to first write a book?

Truthfully, It were the people around me. Every day people inspire me in one way or another and I went with it. It all came down to writing how I felt and as to what was going on inside of me, internally. It was a way to self express myself.

2. What do you hope to accomplish in your writing endeavors?

To continue to learn and grow as a writer and better myself as a person through my writing.

3. Have you ever felt afraid to share your words with the public?

At one time I was until I received the encouragement from my very best girl friends. It made me realize I can be a voice for someone who's going through what I am.

4. Why is writing important to you?

It's therapy to me. There are times I keep things to myself. I internalize quite a bit. Writing is my outlet, a way to self express myself through words.

5. What types of challenges did you encounter in writing and publishing your first book? What did you learn from the experience?

At the beginning of it all I didn't know much how to go about self-publishing so I had to get to researching how to self-publish. There were quite a few writers on Google plus so I talked to people in that way to learn what I needed to do, that and an emerging friendship occurred through Google plus. She geared me quite a bit and mentored me. I'm so grateful to have a friendship with this woman.Writing a manuscript was quite a daunting task. The challenge was typing it in the correct format. I spent several hours on my computer weekly to write. My mistake was going back and forth on correcting typos while I was writing it. 6 to 7 hours a day writing and typing, correcting typos and errors caused a ton of stress, yet I was determined to finish the manuscript to get it published at CreateSpace. The experience that came from all of this was the fact I was determined and self-motivated with my writing. It made me realize there's a lot of hard work that goes into self-publishing a book.

6. Briefly explain how you published your first book and tell us why you made that decision.

The decision to self-publish was a no brainer as I had previously did it the old school way with submitting my manuscript to small press and traditional publishers. There were rejections and others who wanted to publish my material with a fee and owning my copyrights. I honestly didn't want my material to be taken away from all that I did. Self-Publishing with CreateSpace/Amazon was an incredible feeling, just knowing my book was getting out to people online meant so much.

7. How did it make you feel to earn your first book sale?

I actually knew about my first book sale as it were my parents who purchased them. Knowing they were interested and reading it made me nervous as I wasn't sure how they'd feel of me writing about my life. I was surprised with their reactions and how much of myself was put out there for others to read it. It was the first time they were proud of me and the accomplishment I made.

8. Did you sell as many books as you expected?

Not so much as I thought at first. It took over 2 years to start making any income. At least bit of one.

9. If you had a fan out in the world who looked up to you, what advice would you give to them when it comes to writing and publishing their first book?

I talk to my fans as much as possible, just knowing I have them and connecting with them in person or on social media has been incredible. I get a lot of questions from those who aspire to write and publish a book of their own. My advice is always the same, feel it in your heart and soul to write what you want to say in your book. The real you is important to readers. It's a way to connect with them. Expect to write often. Vision what your book looks like from the front and back cover. Do the rough draft first before going at it on a laptop or desk top computer. Do the work without any short cuts. Once the completed manuscript is finished read and revise it before asking someone to read for errors. You want others opinions. Ask yourself, are you in it for connecting with someone or just for the money? People see through an ego trip. Write for yourself. For publishing your book look at all options before selecting the right publisher. There are several self-publishing services. You want your book to be in the right hands representing you and your material.

10. Do you plan on writing more books in the future?

Yes, of course!

11. What are your writing goals for the future?

I have one big goal & dream to collaborate with one of my favorite authors who influenced my writing. Richard Paul Evans is a best selling inspirational fiction writer. His books are truly real and authentic, they inspire me and they have made an impact on my life.

12. If you sold millions of books and gained millions of fans and readers, how would you use your voice to make a difference in this world?

It isn't about selling millions of books, simply knowing my books are getting read and inspiring someone, well, that's making a difference. Having millions, well, I'd put quite a bit of money into non-profit organizations that are near and dear to my heart. It's who I am and it makes me feel humbled.

13. What types of books do you like to read? Who are some of your favorite authors?

I've read several Richard Paul Evans books, as well Nicholas Sparks books, they are two of my favorite authors. Susan Mallery, Beverly Lewis and Janet Evanovich are a few others. I usually read inspirational fiction, non fiction books. I've recently gotten into reading mysteries. There exciting to read.

14. Tell us why you feel people should read your book(s)?

I want people to know their not alone in the world, my books are for them. It's their story too. Inspiring just one person makes all the difference. That is why my writing is so different. It's connecting with someone on a personal level.

15. What is the best way for people to connect with you?

Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, although my official website and Goodreads are the main way to connect.

16. Where can we purchase your book?

My books are available on Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon Kindle Unlimited. Right now, the books are in the process of revisions, and mainly in kindle and ebook formats.