Inside the Author Journey with Frances Day

Writing – whether fiction or nonfiction – can be a deeply personal journey. It gives authors the opportunity to explore emotions, ask difficult questions and imagine possibilities that may never have been spoken aloud.

In this edition of Inside the Author Journey, we speak with author Frances Day about her experience of becoming a published author and working with Dettori Publishing.

Frances has published two books with Dettori Publishing's Independent Ink – The Keystone in 2019 and Silence Has Many Faces in 2023.

Although very different in genre, both novels explore characters navigating life-changing discoveries. The Keystone is a young adult fantasy that follows fourteen-year-old Beth as she is drawn through a portal into a magical world filled with danger, mystery and impossible choices. Silence Has Many Faces shifts to the Australian outback, weaving together a compelling family drama and a gripping murder mystery as buried secrets force one young woman to question everything she believed about her past. 

For Frances, writing these stories wasn't simply about creating entertaining fiction – it was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream to become a published author.

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1. What experience of self-publishing did you have before working with us? Why did you choose to self-publish?

I had no experience with publishing and I chose to self-publish because trying to negotiate the traditional publishing world was daunting and I lacked the confidence to attempt to navigate it.

2. What was the initial experience like when you talked with Ann?

My initial experience with Ann was encouraging. Silence Has Many Faces was not the first book I published with Ann; The Keystone was and Ann was encouraging and helped me to feel at ease in a process that I was not entirely comfortable with. I was at that time almost completely computer illiterate and have only marginally improved since then.

3. How did you find the editing and design experience? Was it daunting or reassuring?

The experience was informative and helpful.

4. Did you get the support you needed to complete the book?

While I received the support I needed to complete both books, I have always been left with the feeling that perhaps I've missed something – that there was more I could have said or another way I could have improved the story.

Like many authors, I'm my own harshest critic.

As for social media, I find it challenging. I'm uncomfortable using it and enjoy writing far more than promoting myself.

5. What was your proudest moment when you became a published author?

Holding the finished product in my hand and knowing that I had accomplished a lifetime dream of writing a book.

6. What did you learn about who you are and your expertise during the process?

Writing is a lesson in self-development. It opens us up to a part of ourselves that we may be unaware of. For me, it was an exploration of ideas, feelings, unresolved anger, grief and possibilities. While my stories are not true, the characters helped me to express my feelings and ideas through them. 

By writing, I have improved my writing and my computer literacy (to a small degree).

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Frances’s publishing journey is a reminder of how exciting it is to realise a lifetime dream, but also the doubt and imposter syndrome that creeps in when sharing anything creative or personal. 

The truth is, nearly all authors experience self-doubt and imposter syndrome at some point, some even before they’ve published. If you are feeling this way now, we want you to know you’re not alone. If you’ve been thinking about finally publishing your story but aren’t sure how or if you want to move forward, we’re here to guide you through the publishing process. 

We’d love to hear from you, learn about your story and help you find the next steps forward.

Don’t forget to check out Frances Day’s novels, The Keystone and Silence Has Many Faces, both available now!

Wishing Frances all the success with both her books!