Testimonial - Hey Hey Books
C.w. Rose - Author of Oceansong
Hi everyone! I’m C.W. Rose, a fantasy and romance author by night and healthcare professional by day. I write about ordinary Asian women who find themselves in extraordinary situations, and find themselves, and sometimes (okay, often) love on the way, and the cinnamon roll men who adore them. I’m also a karaoke enthusiast, ocean child, scuba diver and lifeguard, and mama to a Pekingese dog that looks suspiciously like an Ewok. My debut, Oceansong, released on August 27, 2024 with Hey Hey Books. You can learn more about me and my books at cw-rose.com, and @cwroseauthor on Instagram, Threads, TikTok and Facebook, as well as @cwrose813 on TwitterX.
Oceansong is an adult contemporary romantasy that’s an Asian Romeo & Juliet meets The Little Mermaid, set in the grittiness of the real world.
24-year old aspiring marine biologist Angie Song has returned to her Alaskan hometown for the summer to work at her family’s docks. She learns that fish are mysteriously disappearing from the sea, starving her small fishing village. When she investigates and finds merfolk to be responsible, her family declares war on the mer, resulting in a brutal fight for control of the sea’s resources. And in the midst of the conflict, she falls in love with a Mer-Prince, putting everything and everyone dear to her in danger.
What Is Your Book Oceansong about?
Why did you decide to publish your book(s) with Hey Hey Books? How was your querying experience with them?
When I signed with Hey Hey Books in October 2023, I had been querying for close to six years at that point, with one shelved manuscript. Hey Hey Books ‘liked’ one of my pitches during a TwitterX pitch event, and I was sending out queries in batches to agents and small press acquisition editors. Some time after I submitted to Hey Hey Books, I got an offer from a small press, and notified Hey Hey. They requested my full manuscript within days of being notified, and the offer came about a week later. Weighing my options, I decided to research both presses to see which would be the best fit for me and what I wanted for my debut experience. Ultimately, I found Hey Hey to be very transparent and straightforward on my call with them, which I appreciated, and my gut told me they were the right choice for Oceansong.
How has your publishing experience with Hey Hey Books been (so far)?
I had a wonderful debut experience with them. My editor was (and still is) very communicative and answers emails and my questions in a timely manner. I feel that they take my suggestions seriously, and I truly felt like we’re in a partnership. I knew I wanted a publisher/agent who would essentially hold my hand through the debut process, and they did just that. They were open to ideas if we didn’t agree on a suggested edit, and it was very much a collaborative effort to get Oceansong out into the world. I’m eager to pitch book 2 and potentially future works to them, and I like that even now, after the book’s release, they’re still helping with marketing and keeping me appraised on their efforts.
Would you recommend Hey Hey Books to other writers?
I would. Jordan is an incredible editor and publishing partner, despite being a new publisher on the scene. Caitlyn, my second editor, was tough but honest in her critique, and both her and Jordan’s feedback helped to make Oceansong so much better than how it was when I submitted to them. My cover designers, Gianni and Jenny, created an incredible cover that’s gotten plenty of compliments!
For you, what are some of the pros & cons of publishing with a small press/indie publisher?
I’ll start by saying that I’ve never worked with a big 5 publishing house, nor have I ever self-published, so I can’t compare working with a small press with them. However, I do know a lot of authors who are traditionally published with big houses, as well as self-published, so from my observations, here’s what I think. All this being said, there’s no one right way to publish, and one publishing route is not better than the others. Definitely know what your goals are for your career, and choose the best path for you.
Pros: A more intimate experience, as you work much more closely with your editor(s). Small presses are usually willing to take more chances on a new author, even if the book is more niche. More flexibility on timelines, and I had a say in edits and the cover design. As well, if this matters to you, you have the benefit of saying you’re traditionally published. In my case, my publisher is continuing with marketing and promotion efforts even after release. Whereas with many bigger publishers, they may no longer have the bandwidth for post-release marketing, as they have many other books on their plate, and I’ve heard that many authors with big presses feel “abandoned” by their editors after release. Finally, compared to authors with big presses, you’ll typically get a larger share of royalties.
Cons: Depending on the size of your publisher, they may not have the financial or personnel means to market your book widely, or even for things like Goodreads giveaways. They may not have a publicity department, or have their own distributors to pitch to physical bookstores. They may also have a smaller network of potential people to promote to, or even a smaller pool of authors to ask for blurbs from. Then, depending on your publisher’s timeline, they may not be able to secure trade reviews on time, again, if that’s something that matters to you. Many trade review sites require that galleys be submitted 3-4 months in advance of publication, and your publisher may not have copies ready at that point. Lastly, there may be a very small, or no advance offered.