Pieces of Eight (The Lost Souls’ Treasure Series Book One) is the first book in a new a brand new planned six book series. The fun, fast-paced action-adventure is set in Key West and the Caribbean and is centered around a treasure hunt. It’s set in the same world as my first three books, The Key West Escape Series, with some familiar secondary characters popping up and even getting their own storylines.
Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
My minor characters are always trying to take over things. That is partly how this series came about. Several minor character from my first series are finally getting their own stories.
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?
Yes, I tell writers who are just starting to query, expect a lot of rejection, but don’t let it discourage you. You need a thick skin for this. And, if you do get a yes, make sure it’s the right fit for you. I received this advice when I was first starting out, and so far, it’s worked for me. I love my publisher, and I’ve had a terrific experience working with Firefly Hill Press.
How long before you got your offer of representation/your first contract? Was it for your first novel?
Before I got my first book contract, I met several published authors who told me their third book was their first book to be published. I don’t know if this was sheer coincidence, but the first book I got published happened to be my third novel as well. The first two books were historical romance novels. My third book was contemporary romantic adventure. I believe the reason it took me three books to get a publishing contract is because I continued to hone my writing skills, I learned to accept criticism and used it to make my writing better, and I also tried writing something completely different and out of my comfort zone. Overall, it took me eight years of serious pursuit to get published. The secret is to keep learning and don’t give up.
What factors influenced your decision to go with a particular agent or publisher?
When I first started querying, I had hopes and dreams of finding a big agent or publisher but as reality sank in and I received responses like “Your book is great, but we already have a book similar to yours on our list…But reach out to us if you get another offer and we’ll see what we can do.” I realized that going with a smaller publisher who was really enthusiastic about my book and supportive of me as a writer might be a better fit. There have been so many other benefits to going with a smaller publisher… I get a more say in the cover design and how my book are promoted. And I get more personal attention from my publisher. It’s a true partnership and creatively very rewarding.
Are you currently under a traditional publishing contract for future books or do you have manuscripts that you will self-publish? Are you doing both?
I am currently under contract for my current book and all six books in The Lost Souls’ Treasure series.
What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?
I prefer silence when I’m writing. I’ll usually put on one of those relaxation videos where it’s raining or snowing in some exotic location.
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?
I outline my stories, but I also listen to the characters. If the story takes me in a slightly different direction, I go with it and then modify the outline as needed. For Pieces of Eight, I used Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat plotting method. It’s something I’ve always wanted to try and it worked great. I really kept me on track and kept the story tight, but at the same time I didn’t feel like it stifled me creativity at all. It saved me weeks of editing time. I plan to use this method for the next book in the series as well.
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?
My publisher is also my content editor. After she completes her content edit, I do a second edit and sometimes third edit. Then the book is sent to a professional proofreader/editor who line edits and looks for consistency errors. The book then goes to a beta reader for a read through and my publisher reviews it one last time. At this point, I usually choose to stay out of it, because I’m a bit of a perfectionist, I know I’ll want to keep “fixing” things that don’t really need to be fixed. For me, that’s the hardest part about being an author, knowing when to step away and letting a book be finished.
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?
My books are also on sale on iBooks, Kobo, Google, and Nook.
Pieces of Eight
Tricia Leedom
(Lost Souls’ Treasure, #1)
Published by: Firefly Hill Press
Publication date: July 13th 2021
Genres: Adult, Adventure, Romance
From the author who whisked you away on a wild escapade in The Key West Escape Series comes a sexy, adventure-packed spin off. Follow Mitch Thompson and his team of misfits as they find danger, intrigue, and romance on the hunt for the legendary Lost Souls’ Treasure…
Former special ops aviator Griffin Dodge spent two years working on a marine salvage crew based out of Key West after his military career abruptly ended.
The only person he let himself get close to on the Salty Dog Crew was a woman called “Bug.” They couldn’t have been more different – the former all-star golden boy from the Midwest and the scrappy French circus performer turned salvage diver – but she became his best friend. Griff was happier than he’d been in a long time, but when his first love called to say she wanted him back, he caught the next flight out of town.
A year later, Bug still resents Griff for ghosting her and the crew after he left. She’s furious when he shows up out of the blue to do a favor for her boss. It doesn’t matter that Griff is single again or that he’s sorry, she hates that she’s stuck flying shotgun to Martinique beside the guy who abandoned their friendship and betrayed her trust.
The trip was supposed to take two days tops. Just enough time to meet with an artifact collector who claims to have the missing pages of a diary that could lead them to The Lost Souls’ Treasure. But when the deal goes south, and Griff and Bug are caught breaking and entering, they’re forced to escape up the side of a volcano where the lava isn’t the only thing about to bubble over. The tension between them erupts into an unexpected night of passion that leaves them both uncertain about what comes next.
While Griff starts to question if settling down in the suburbs still fits the man he’s become, Bug isn’t so sure she’s willing to open her guarded-heart to the only man who’s ever broke it.
When a rival treasure hunter hellbent on beating the Salty Dog Crew to the treasure takes Bug hostage, Griff realizes his future plans won’t matter, if he can’t bring his best friend home alive.
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Author Bio:
TRICIA LEEDOM enjoys traveling to exotic destinations and having torrid love affairs with hot, dangerous men… even if it’s only in her own mind. When she’s not writing romantic adventure novels, she reads voraciously, tweets compulsively, and fangirls over a TV show based on her favorite book series. Tricia earned her BA in Creative Writing from The University of Tampa and her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. Her favorite authors include Diana Gabaldon, J.R. Ward, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Karen Robards, and Johanna Lindsey. She lives in Southwest Florida with two very spoiled dogs. Follow Tricia on Twitter and Instagram @tricialeedom
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