What do you get when you combine over twenty years in the FBI with a deep love and knowledge of South Carolina Lowcountry? The award-winning novel Beyond the Cabin by Dana Ridenour that took home First Place for Published Thriller in the 2018 Royal Palm Literary Awards. Dana began writing the book during her last two years working for the FBI and was faced with a challenging decision when she finally finished. How would she publish it? Both traditional publishing and self-publishing had their drawbacks. Dana talks hybrid publishing, integrating her life experience into her work, and the generosity of the writing community in this week’s RPLA showcase.
Dana’s Writing Journey
I retired from the FBI after over twenty years of service. I wrote my first novel during my last two years still on the job. I knew I wanted to launch the book when I retired, so I started researching publishing options. As a first time author, I was confused as to which path was right for me. While the traditional publishing process offers many opportunities, it is a slow, arduous, path to publication. Self-publishing didn’t seem like the right path for me because as a first time author I knew nothing of the process. As I struggled to find a balance between traditional and self-publication, I found the perfect solution…hybrid publishing. I released my first novel April 2016, my second novel August 2017 and my third novel is scheduled for release summer of 2019.
The Winning Entry, Beyond the Cabin 
Logline: An FBI undercover agent’s life hangs by a thread after her identity is compromised while working a dangerous assignment in the treacherous South Carolina Lowcountry.
The character of Lexie Montgomery is based largely on my experiences as an FBI agent. So you could say that the inspiration for Beyond the Cabin came from my twenty years of experience as an FBI Special Agent. One of the things that make this novel so special is the setting. I chose to set the novel in the South Carolina Lowcountry because I have a deep love and appreciation of the area. I wanted the setting to be a character in the novel. Also, the Captain Meade character is based on my dear friend, the late Captain Sandy Vermont. Prior to becoming a Special Agent, I worked as a First Mate for Captain Sandy’s Tours in Georgetown, South Carolina. We provided boat tours of the majestic old rice plantations, shelling and lighthouse tours, and, at night, ghost tours. Captain Sandy taught me everything I know about the history, mystery and romance of this area. From the charming people to the smell of the pluff mud, I love everything about the Lowcountry. Beyond the Cabin was my love letter to the Lowcountry.
Two Truths and a Lie, Writer’s Edition
The first rule is to put your butt in the chair and write.
Everyone experiences writer’s block.
Writers help other writers.
The lie? Everyone experiences writer’s block. I can honestly say that I have never experienced writer’s block. That’s not to say that I haven’t had slow writing days. If I experience a day where the words are not flowing as they should, then I push away from the desk and go for a walk. I’ve read about writing exercises for writer’s block, but in my opinion, sometimes a writer just needs to clear his or her head. A walk on the beach or a hike through the woods can be the perfect cure for a sluggish day. There is nothing wrong with taking a break from your manuscript. Don’t let people convince you that you have writer’s block.
It might sound simplistic, but my first rule is to put my butt in the chair and write. The book is not going to write itself, so if you’re going to be a serious writer, then you need to allocate time for writing. I do my best work when I write every day.
The second truth that I discovered is that writers really do help other writers. I expected authors to be cautious and cutthroat but I found the opposite to be true. Writers are helpful and supportive of one another. The writing community is warm and welcoming to new writers. Don’t be afraid to network at conferences and workshops. If you need advice, ask a fellow writer.
Other Works by Ridenour
Beyond the Cabin is the second novel in my Lexie Montgomery FBI undercover series. My first novel, Behind the Mask, was published in April 2016. The third novel in the series, Below the Radar, is scheduled for release summer 2019. I’ve also written several award winning short stories.
Coming Next from this Author
My third book, Below the Radar, is scheduled for release summer of 2019. I also have a project in development for television. I partnered with a screenwriter a year ago and together we developed a television series based on the characters from my Lexie Montgomery series. The project is complete and currently being shopped in Hollywood. My newest manuscript is a deviation from my usual FBI novels. It’s a contemporary literary fiction dealing with friendship, love, loss, and self-discovery.
Connect with Dana
The best way to keep track of me is through my website: http://www.danaridenour.net. I try to keep my website updated with my upcoming events. I also have an Amazon Author page and I’m active on social media. I can be found on the following social media sites:
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/danaridenourwriterpage/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ridenour_dana
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/undercoverauthor/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-ridenour-00936bab/
More about RPLA
The Royal Palm Literary Awards competition is a service of the Florida Writers Association established to recognize excellence in members’ published and unpublished works while providing objective and constructive written assessments for all entrants. Judges include literary agents, publishers, film producers, current or retired professors, teachers, librarians, editors, bestselling and award-winning authors, and journalists from across the nation. Entries are scored against the criteria set by RPLA using rubrics tailored to each genre. Winners are announced at the annual FWA conference during the RPLA awards banquet. To learn more about RPLA, click here for the guidelines.
Marc Burke
Nice work – but other than putting it in the title – you didn’t explain what hybrid publishing actually is!~
Karen Coody Cooper
I don’t know what hybrid publishing is. Did a paragraph get deleted?
Gerri
Yes, I read the entire article, waiting to get to the hybrid publishing part.
Sarah Penner
Agree with others, headline is misleading. What is hybrid publishing?
Ellen Holder
I would absolutely love to know what hybrid publishing is. Someone left out that part.
Aransas Vacilando
What is hybrid publishing?
Dana Ridenour
Hi All,
To answer the question of what is hybrid publishing. It’s the middle ground between traditional and self-publishing. It’s sometimes called author assisted publishing. The author absorbs the financial risk in exchange for high royalties but also gets traditional distribution. There is still a selection process so an author has to query the publisher and get accepted. If accepted, the publisher provides the author with highly professional editors, designers etc. But the author pays either all or a portion of the fees for theses services. In the end the novel is polished and ready for traditional distribution. Hope that helps some.
Jerry Tabbott
I agree with the others that your title was completely misleading. There was nothing in the article about “hybrid publishing.”
Wonderful that you responded to inquiries with a definition, but that still tells us nothing about your experience publishing this way. Questions abound! How did you find out about it? What publishers entertain such arrangement? To what extent do these publishers share costs of marketing? How much better are commissions? What actual results (sales) did you see? And a few dozen questions more… I’m sure many of us would really like to see an informative post on the subject.
Mary Ann de Stefano
A word from the webmaster… Thank you for reading! The RPLA Showcase is a series of posts that celebrates the winners of the Florida Writer Association’s Royal Palm Literary Award competition by publishing profiles of the winning writers and telling us something more about their work.The intention of this series was accomplished here in this most recent showcase that featured Dana.
Maybe one day we will publish an “All About Hybrid Publishing” post. But it’s a complex topic — especially since there are many varieties of hybrid publishers. There is no one answer to any of your questions, Jerry. Here is one good explainer by a trusted source: https://www.janefriedman.com/what-is-a-hybrid-publisher/. Hope this helps.