When we put out the call for Sukkah interviewees I was nervous we wouldn’t even get five. I needn’t have worried. Response was tremendous and the quality of the volunteers was extremely high. I’m pleased to introduce Jamie Krakover, our first indie author Sukkah guest.
Jamie is here representing self-pub with her YA sci fi TRACKER220. She has been a friend of BookishlyJewish by providing guest reviews when we first started out. On a more personal note, Jamie is a stalwart of the Jewish writing community providing encouragement to many others starting out. She brings that generosity of spirit to the interview and there is a ton to learn from her answers for both readers and writers! So without further ado, let’s dive in!
BookishlyJewish: Can you talk about your decision to self publish and why you made that choice?
Jamie Krakover: Yes, it’s a bit of a long story. I accepted an agent offer of representation in January of 2018 for the manuscript that is now TRACKER220. I worked with my agent for about 6 months at which point she’d given me some notes to address and after that we’d do some line edits and then we’d go out on sub. I was excited and it was perfect timing because I was expecting a baby in October so I’d be on sub while on maternity leave. Two weeks later, I got notice from my agent that she was leaving her role. I was given a couple agents to query and sent on my way.
I was devastated.
I queried a bit with my very polished manuscript but no one seemed interested. So I shelved it and focused on being a new mom and didn’t write much for about a year.
In 2019, I was feeling pretty down about publishing but decided I needed to do something for myself. TRACKER220 was weighing on my mind. The story still resonated with me and I knew it was good enough to be a published book. I talked to several author buddies about self publishing and decided that it was the right path for my book and me. In addition, YA sci fi is often hard to place and sell traditionally because there’s a stigma that it’s hard to market. But I knew this book was special and needed to be in the hands of readers, so I took the plunge.
BookishlyJewish: Any big surprises along the way?
Jamie Krakover: Oh gosh, is it okay to say all of it? I’d never published anything before so it felt like this big, scary, unobtainable thing. But I think the surprising thing was how unscary and obtainable the process actually was. There’s so many kind and knowledgeable people out there. It was amazing to have such support throughout the process.
BookishlyJewish: I was very interested to learn you are part of a publishing collective, Snowy Wings Publishing. For our readers who don’t know what that is, can you describe what a collective is and why one might choose to join one?
Jamie Krakover: Snowy Wings Publishing is a group of Indie Authors who publish MG and YA books. For authors who publish adult fiction, they have a sister group called Crimson Fox. As a member of the Co-op, I get a lot of the autonomy self published authors have, along with a huge network and support system as I publish. As the author, I’m responsible for the costs associated with publishing my book, and ensuring I adhere to Snowy Wings quality standards (i.e. hiring reputable editors, cover designers etc.), but I also have the ability to make the decisions that are right for my book. The Co-op supports me with a network of authors to answer questions, how-to guides for self publishing, a list of potential editors, cover artists etc., discount codes for publishing, and access to trade reviews, and library lists. Snowy Wings was my Jedi Master along the self publishing journey and none of it would have been possible without their guidance and support.
BookishlyJewish: I was very intrigued by the use of technology in TRACKER2020 and its potential implications on Shabbat observance. As someone with an engineering background, do you have any insights on how future technologies might affect our future and Judaism at large?
Jamie Krakover: As a technically minded person I’ve always questioned the intersection of faith and technology. What if you needed technology to observe faith, or what if you couldn’t shut it off? While this wasn’t the original question I set out to answer with the book, when I started editing and infusing the Jewish traditions and connections into the story, it came through as one of the larger themes throughout.
It’s funny because I wrote TRACKER220 well before the pandemic and it was nearly completed by the time the pandemic came about. But there are many parallels between what happens in the book with respect to the intersection of faith and technology that instantly became incredibly relevant as the pandemic emerged. Suddenly we couldn’t meet in person and Shabbat services were online so we were using tech to observe holidays and execute our traditions. The lines between ‘what does work on Shabbat really mean’ and ‘how should tech interface with Judaism’ really blurred. I don’t have a magical answer about what that might look like in the future. But as technology continues to grow and evolve, we as Jews will have to continue to re-evaluate how we view technology with respect to faith and find the places where technology can enhance our Jewish experiences.
BookishlyJewish: You recently announced TRACKER2020 is getting a sequel, AUTHORITY. Congratulations on that milestone! Is writing the second book easier or harder than the first?
Jamie Krakover: Thanks so much! I’m super excited for the sequel! I know a lot of people say sequels and second books are harder, but I actually found it much easier to write than the first. When I write, characters and worlds don’t always come to me fully formed. I tend to start with plot and layer on the world and get to know the characters as I go, with each subsequent draft. Knowing that about myself made the sequel easier for two reasons. One, I was fairly certain when I finished writing the first draft of TRACKER220 that there were ideas there for a sequel, so I had that jumping off point and some of the leg work already done. And two, I had the advantage of already knowing my characters really well. While the world had changed by the end of the first book, I had a great foundation to start with that I don’t typically have on most of my writing projects.
BookishlyJewish: This might be a spoiler, but will we see any of the same characters back again?
Jamie Krakover: You will see all the characters from the first book in the second in some way or another. And you will see one new character that I’m super excited about. I talked about her in a prior newsletter so if you’re subscribed you got to learn a little bit about her. If you missed it, subscribe now and you’ll get a sneak peak at her and some of the old favorite characters from TRACKER220 when I share the first chapter of AUTHORITY early next year. 🙂
BookishlyJewish: What has been the response to TRACKER2020 from readers?
Jamie Krakover: It’s been very positive. I was expecting some negative reviews and have gotten a few. But even within them, there was feedback that was helpful for the sequel. But overall people are loving the blend of Jewishness with technology and the futuristic world. I’ve had many enthusiastic teens tell me how much they love Peyton as a character or enjoy Kaya and Bailen’s relationship. It’s so fun to see what each reader resonates with. But nothing beats when a Jewish teen expresses how excited they are to see themselves in a book.
BookishlyJewish: A lot of people are scared off from self-pub due perceived costs (hiring editors and cover artists etc.) or fear of complex accounting. Any words of encouragement?
Jamie Krakover: You are correct. There is a lot of work involved. While publishing is often quite lonely, the self publishing community is incredibly passionate and supportive. There are ways to do things well and minimize cost. There are TONS of resources out there to help along the way. And in the end, one of the best feelings is being able to hold your book and know that you did the whole thing from beginning to end.
BookishlyJewish: Any advice for writers just starting out, or veterans who are considering self pub for the first time?
Jamie Krakover: Get yourself some self publishing Jedi masters or at the very least a support system. It’s really tempting to throw your book (and money) at every marketing thing, award opportunity, etc. then get frustrated when it doesn’t pan out or equate to large sales numbers. But self publishing is often a slow build; your front list will sell your back list. So while some people do break out right away, many more have to nurture an audience over time. I frequently have to remind myself to focus on what I love about my stories and who I’m writing them for. And to keep my eyes on my own paper ;).
BookishlyJewish: I always end by asking if you have a favorite Jewish book
Jamie Krakover: One of my all time favorites is Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, but two of my more recent reads I enjoyed are Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson and Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros.
Jamie’s Bio: Growing up with a fascination for space and things that fly, Jamie turned that love into a career as an Aerospace Engineer. Combining her natural enthusiasm for Science Fiction and her love of reading, she now spends a lot of her time writing Middle Grade and Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Through Snowy Wings Publishing, Jamie Krakover is the author of the Tracker220 (October 2020) and the upcoming sequel Authority (Fall 2024). She also has two female in STEM short stories published in the Brave New Girls anthologies and two engineering-centered nonfiction pieces published in Writer’s Digest’s Putting the Science in Fiction. Jamie lives in St. Louis, Missouri with her husband, Andrew, their son, and their dog Rogue (after the X-Men, not Star Wars, although she loves both).
Find TRACKER220: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon | BookishlyJewish Review