We all like to hear about the journey to publication, and hopefully other people's success stories help bolster the confidence of those still slogging through the query trenches. But what happens after that first book deal? When the honeymoon is over, you end up back where you were - sitting in front of a blank Word document with shaky hands. Except this time, there are expectations hanging over you. With this in mind, I’ve created the SNOB (Second Novel Omnipresent Blues) interview.

Today’s guest for the SNOB is Melissa Landers, author of Lumara which releases December 6, 2022

Whether you’re under contract or trying to snag another deal, you’re a professional now, with the pressures of a published novelist compounded with the still-present nagging self-doubt of the noobie. How to deal?

It’s weird, because even though I’ve published a dozen novels, I feel like I’m starting from scratch. A few years ago, my career had a “hiccup” that resulted in a gap in my release schedule. Then Covid shutdowns and editorial furloughs widened that gap even more. Now that I’m finally releasing a new YA novel (Lumara, coming Dec. 6 from Disney-Hyperion), I’ve found that the teenage readership I cultivated years ago is all grown up. I still have fans of my Alienated and Starflight series, but most of them have graduated from reading YA to reading adult novels. Which is totally understandable…but puts me on a brand-new course to connect with a brand-new set of readers. So you can probably see how that feels like starting over.

Is it hard to leave behind the first novel and focus on the second?

Instead of leaving behind a first novel, I’m leaving behind the first leg of my career. And yes, it’s a total mind freak. The years since Covid have FLOWN for me—seriously, it’s like my internal clock stopped ticking in 2020—and it’s hard to believe that so much time has passed since my last book launch. But here I am with a five year gap between YA releases. That’s hard to wrap my head around. 

At what point do you start diverting your energies from promoting your debut and writing / polishing / editing your second?

Well, I guess that’s a silver lining. My previous books came out so long ago that I can focus on my new releases instead of  worrying about promoting the old ones. ☺ 

Your first book landed an agent and an editor, and hopefully some fans. Who are you writing the second one for? Them, or yourself?

Myself. Always myself. I’m a very selfish writer, and I make no apologies for that. I began my career writing the books that I wanted to read, and all these years later, my goal remains the same. If I can’t entertain myself, I can’t entertain my readers. So it all starts with me. 

What did you do differently the second time around, with the perspective of a published author?

This time around, I’m doing a lot more living in the real world and less living in the virtual world. The old me used to spend hours and hours staging the *perfect* book pic for Instagram. I loved the validation and the exposure that came with each post. But even though my pictures and videos racked up a metric ton of likes, the attention rarely translated into sales. Eventually, the experience started to feel empty. That was when I knew my free time was better spent doing the things I love with the people I love. 

Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn't afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public...just ask her three embarrassed kids. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she writes fantasy and space adventures for the young at heart.