Try Everything Once (at least) and Never Give Up!

by Phyllis Rauch (co-author)
(Jocotepec, Jalisco, Mexico)

I'm writing this on behalf of my husband, Georg Rauch, who lived just long enough to attend the local presentation of his war memoir, The Jew with the Iron Cross, A Record of Survival in WWII Russia. Approximately twenty years ago we created together a manuscript based on the 84 letters Georg wrote home from the Russian trenches.

A lifelong professional artist, for the first time, Georg left his paints and brushes to dedicate himself totally to the retelling of his survival story on one of WWII's most desolate fronts. He wrote in German and I did my best to keep up with him, translating into English his scribbled notes. Sometimes he got frustrated with my slowness. Once he started a project there was no stopping until it was completed.

Once the book was finished, I located and studied a book on "Writing a Book Proposal." Armed with my proposal and a few chapters of the book, I began to storm the literary agent battlements. Having been told, "You won't get through the transom if you don't have an agent," I didn't even attempt approaching publishers directly. I actually did get an agent (and I still see his name sometimes in the acknowledgement pages of other books). We received a few complimentary letters from publishers, but no real taker.

As the years went by we continued to share the manuscript with visitors to our Mexican B & B and they all told us how they stayed up til the wee hours holding hands and weeping until the final page. WE knew we had a good, if not a great book, but we didn't know how to proceed any further in the difficult world of publishing.

A British playwright asked to use the manuscript to base a play upon. Funker Rauch played to full houses and rave reviews when it premiered in the Edmonton, Alberta Fringe Theatre Festival. I had hoped that perhaps the success of the play would rub off on the book, that a publisher might magically appear, knocking on our door. But no.

Self publishing as it exists today was non-existent, and its predecessor, "vanity publishing" was looked down upon as a desperate last resort for none but the worst books and writers.

Years passed with Georg continuing to paint and exhibit his works and me writing for a variety of Mexican web sites and Lake Chapala/Guadalajara newspapers and magazines. Since I'm also fluent in Spanish, I tend to specialize in "Soul of Mexico" types of articles, the vanishing scene, interviews with artisans, etc. I mentioned to Georg, "Maybe I'll self-publish a little book of my articles." (Self-publishing was no longer a dirty word by now.) Georg said, rather wistfully, "What about my book?"

I wasn't immediately enthusiastic, having already spent so many many hours in translating, writing book proposals, banging on agents' doors way back when. But when I began to investigate this new world of self-publishing it looked so easy!! (Not.) I envisioned having a finished book in my hands within a few short months. Then I might go back to working on my own book.

I also picked up Georg's manuscript and read it once again. I'd forgotten how moving it was. It still made me laugh and cry. I was convinced all over again that it deserved to be a "real book." John, a local friend, borrowed the mss and asked if he could make copies to loan to his group of male friends. Later John and his wife threw intimate dinner parties where these friends critiqued the book. They told us what they liked — and what they didn't. It needed a map, a glossary, photos, drawings. The book didn't just need these, it deserved them.

First I worked with a wonderful local editor. Thank goodness we liked and respected each other so much, since we often almost came to blows. I, for example, wanted to leave in a number of German phrases for mood and flavor. She was afraid the average reader would be turned off. We compromised a lot! I also discovered a wonderful young WWII mapmaker via the internet. He worked with me long and patiently for a pittance.

By now I had decided upon going with the biggest and best known self-publisher, iUniverse. I liked the way their website read, I liked what they offered; I liked their prices. Yes they were somewhat more expensive than lesser known outfits, but they could get the book up on Amazon.com - fast! They would feature our book in a Barnes and Noble bookstore of our choice (if our book was awarded Publisher's Choice - which it was). I've never regretted the decision to go with iUniverse. The people I worked with were exceedingly professional and patient. Sometimes they took me almost literally by the hand, teaching me MICROSOFT WORD editing, etc.

I had very naively assumed that once I whipped off to them the mss., photos, drawings, map, etc. I could just sit back and wait for the finished product to roll off the presses. I didn't know I would be expected to be in there sweating, editing, re-editing, designing the cover (re-designing the cover) working with the publisher every step of the way. But after surviving the initial shock, I came to enjoy the challenges that iUniverse kept sending me. And it was very rewarding for our book to receive first the distinction of Editor's Choice (for the quality of the writing and the design of the book) but also Publisher's Choice.

One of the parts I didn't enjoy so much was having to create a marketing and promotion plan. Again, iUniverse was right in there, giving advice, sample plans, but I can't truly say I enjoyed this part of it. Nor do I believe it really benefitted the book. But that was neither iUniverse's fault nor mine. Most of this promotion is based on the assumption that one lives in the good old USofA, that you have friends, family, work colleagues, bowling buddies, sorority sisters, you name it who could be your first marketing "victims."

We lived in Mexico, and did our best given the reduced circumstances. I had two book launches (one actually turned out to be concurrent with Georg's memorial after he died in November 2006. I placed the books for sale in popular venues. I placed ads in the library journal, the NY Review of Books, and WWII magazine, I mailed books to libraries, contests, book fairs and don't even want to know how much money I spent in this endeavor.

One thing I don't regret spending money on was Kirkus Discoveries. For a relatively small fee ($30?) they will give you an honest, no holds barred review. The day I received their rave review I danced around the terrace and thought "God's in heaven, all's well with the world." Days such as this were rare.

I also followed Dan Poynter's advice, heard in one of his workshops. "The best publicity you'll receive is from the books you give away. I didn't like the sound of this at all, the first time I heard it. But as my paying efforts had only the effect of emptying my pocketbook, I said, "What the heck" and started giving books away to anyone who seemed a likely receptor. That woman on the Alaskan ferry whose son is in NY Theatre, that group of Germans in the Denali National Park, the man in Canada who has a very small publishing company of his own, etc. etc. I probably gave at least 100 books away and though there has been no direct return, I don't regret a single one.

I began to feel a certain joy in surprising people with a lovely book. Much more important I began to recognize my true goal: It wasn't to have a best seller, to get rich or famous or be seen on Oprah. My goal was to have as many people as possible read my husband's amazing, unique story.

I continued to read every iUniverse newsletter. They always include news of contests. Some are just for books about e.g. Idaho. But every contest for which our book qualified I entered. More $$$ This past year I entered a few poems of mine in the Writer's Digest Poetry contest. I was amazed and delighted when my poem, Observations, came in 13th. But I said, "I would so much rather that Georg's book had won a prize!"

A few months later I entered our book in the Writer's Digest self-published contest. I felt weary and dogged. "One more contest, but I can't help myself." And guess what? This was the one! It won second prize in the Life Stories category. Not only that but just recently I have been approached by an agent from a top-notch literary agency in NYC. The contracts are signed and she is aleady sending out proposals.

I suspect I still have a long road to go and maybe some disappointments on the way. There are no guarantees. But if someone had told me in July of 2006 when the book came out that I'd have a New York agent at this point, I'd have been ecstatic! And I am. Stay tuned.

Words of wisdom? Believe in your book. I never stopped believing in the intrinsic value of our book for one second. Keep plugging along. For months I didn't let a day go by without at least one promotional effort. When Georg died I slowed down for a while, understandably. Enter every possible contest, book fair, co-op ad (another advantage with iUniverse are their co-op ads) And KNOW that at some point the rest of the world will finally come to recognize what you've always known, your book is a winner!!

Visit Georg's (and Phyllis's!) website, Georg Rauch.