“I was used to having a team I trusted”

“I was expecting a team approach to publishing because hey, books, they’re fun! Who wouldn’t want to get on board and have fun with that? I was totally expecting that my editor and I would be working together, and the marketing people, but it so is not like that—although my YA publisher does a great job and is delightful to work with. But I’ve worked with four other publishers that have not been so good about that kind of thing. It was a culture shock for me. I’m used to being the leader of the team, but I was used to having a team I trusted and that communicated. I think that’s really what publishing is lacking when it comes to author relationships. There’s no communication. They’re basically putting us in handcuffs and sitting us in the corner for a time-out until they’re ready for the next book, and that’s crazy. They’re just wasting all this talent and ability to reach readers.”

—CJ Lyons in the Authors Guild bulletin, Spring 2014