Hello, Heather Chavez
Author Series #7
I met Heather Chavez while attending Thrillerfest in New York city in the summer of 2022. We had lunch together with Megan Tusing, the voice actor we’ve both worked with for our novels, and y’all, Heather spilled the tea and it was so great. This lunch was possibly the first time that I was like, ‘Huh, authors know a lot of stuff they can’t say or aren’t saying out loud…maybe we should be saying it.’ Then, I read Courtney Maum’s Before & After the Book Deal and then The Shit No One Tells You About Writing was launched and then Publishing Rodeo came out and now, here we are…
I'm so glad Heather offered to share her story with us because I know you’ll enjoy reading a transparent account of her journey. I would also highly recommend her newest book, WHAT WE’LL BURN LAST.
Look at that stunning cover! I had the chance to read and give a bit of feedback on very early pages, and I was immediately hooked. Also, it has ‘burn’ in the title, so what’s not to love?
Welcome, Heather Chavez!
Can you tell us about your debut novel? Feel free to share anything you’re comfortable with including the advance (a range or number of figures if fine), the kind of marketing you received, how sales performed in the first year.
Heather: My debut was sold in what Publishers Marketplace would call a significant deal, and I also earned about fifty percent more on top of that in foreign rights. As far as sales though…sigh. “Decent,” is how my publisher categorized sales, but I know they fell short of expectations. We don’t really talk about that enough, do we—what’s considered a “success,” how it relates to print runs and advance size, and what other books are actually selling. Sometimes, authors don’t even know how many copies of our own books have sold. (Don’t get me started on how inaccurate BookScan numbers can be.) Courtney Maum’s Before and After the Book Deal does a great job of demystifying the process, though, and I can’t recommend that book enough.
There were, of course, some factors working against my book–among them, its release right before the pandemic (and within days of my publisher’s lead title for that season). But ultimately, my debut wasn’t alone in that, and I realize my great fortune, too. Someone believed strongly enough in my novel that they were willing to offer a generous pre-empt. I will always be grateful for that. (Another thing we don’t talk about enough–how it’s possible to hold many, often conflicting, feelings about the publishing journey at the same time. It’s totally natural to feel excited, disappointed, frustrated, and proud all at once.)
How many novels have you published since then? What differences have you noticed in these later novels?
Heather: I’ve published three standalone thrillers, with a fourth (WHAT WE’LL BURN LAST) coming in July. I like to think I’ve grown as an author (thanks in part to an amazing agent and editor, and an incredibly supportive writing community) and I think my books reflect that. I hope they do, anyway. I’ve taken more artistic chances in my most recent books (characters that have included a pregnant assassin and a wildfire, for example, and playing with structure).
What has been the best part of publishing? The worst part? Or, what has been your highest high and lowest low in publishing?
Heather: Truth time: I cried on publication day. (And not happy tears, though those would come later.) There are a lot of reasons for that, some of which I don’t feel comfortable sharing in a public space, but I’ll share a negative that turned into a positive. The day NO BAD DEED came out, I went into my local chain bookstore, strolled over to the new releases, and, not finding it, asked the bookseller if they had a copy in stock. They didn’t. Ouch. But they did offer to get stock from another store, and they had copies on the shelf by the end of the week. And they’ve been incredibly supportive since. Another high: At my first launch event, I had to lend the bookstore my author copies to meet the demand. But, despite this, again, overall sales weren’t what we hoped. (I think about a quarter of first week sales came from my local market.) That’s the rollercoaster of being published—extreme highs and lows—and I wasn’t fully prepared for that.
Would you consider other types of publishing (indie, hybrid, digital first, Kickstarter)? Why/why not?
Heather: Obviously, I love writing (I hope to be done with Book 5 soon) so I’ll always be doing that. While I enjoy working with a team in the traditional model, if I write a book I love that doesn’t get picked up, I would definitely consider other options.
Do you think of yourself as a full time writer? Do you have other streams of income that help pay the bills?
Heather: I stepped away from my previous job in corporate communications last year to focus on my writing for a while, but I started a new full-time job this month. I love the community you get from the office environment, and financially, it’s always a smart idea to have multiple income streams. Plus I love what I do. Still, since I’m currently juggling learning a new job, launching WHAT WE’LL BURN LAST, and writing book 5, I sometimes wish there was a 25th (or 26th) hour in the day.
What would you tell someone/what advice would you give to someone who wants to be traditionally published?
Heather: Don’t be afraid of deep edits, which is my favorite part of the process. The only thing you can control is your writing, so focus on making it the best book it can be, and try not to get too much in your head about all the rest of it. (Easier said than done, I know.)
What does success in publishing look like to you at this point in your career? Has it changed over time?
Heather: It’s definitely changed! While there are still what I call “lightning strike” items on my bucket list (a TV/movie adaptation, for example) authors can’t control whether we’re picked by a celebrity book club or get the attention of a big producer. But we can control how much time we spend in front of the screen (or notepad) telling stories. So that’s what success means to me now: To be able to keep doing what I’m doing, and to reach the readers who will enjoy my books. (I’m one of those authors who appreciates being tagged in positive reviews. Best part of the job!)
Do you have any tips for protecting your mental health in such a tough business?
Heather: Build your community. While writing my first book (actually my fourth attempt) I didn’t have writer friends, a critique group, or beta readers. My now agent was the first person to read my debut in its entirety. Having people who know exactly what you’re going through is invaluable to protecting your mental health. Long walks are great, too.
Thanks to Heather for her transparency, and I hope you take time to PreOrder her latest.
As ever, happy writing—or not!
Kristen