12 Steps to Publication

by Chad Morris

Monday is just around the corner and Monday is the day we are giving away two ARCs of Cragbridge Hall: The Inventor's Secret. The Rafflecopter entry form is at the bottom. Did you know that you don't have to give them your Facebook info. They will do it old school as well. Look for it the lettering is really small.


But first, I have to answer everyone who has asked about my road to publication. Okay, so no one asked, but if they did, here would be my 12 abbreviated steps in my journal to publication:

1) I was born. Cute, pudgy, bald. (And I plan to grow old that way.)

2) Somewhere in elementary I thought reading was kind of boring.

3) Somehow I started reading Lloyd Alexander and everything changed. I owe a lot to Gurgi.

4) I spent several years in rock bands. I was the drummer. Yes, I had a mullet. Yes, it was awesome. Yes, we were destined for greatness. . . in our own minds. Occasionally I would write some pretty vague, try-to-sound-poetic lyrics. No, you can't read them. But I was trying to write something.

5) At age 17 or 18, I wrote a comedy manuscript. I'm still looking for it. I know I have it somewhere. I was trying to become the next Dave Barry. I diligently sent it out to about 5 publishers, then forgot about it.

6) At age 18, I started writing a book called "Ocean's Rising." I don't even remember what it was about, other than a boy named Ocean. Pretty sure it was terrible.

7) I took a couple of creative writing classes in college.

8) I joined Divine Comedy, a sketch comedy troupe at BYU. I wrote and performed sketch with hilarious people who ended up being marketing professors, cartoon voices, New York Times Best-selling authors, and Lawyers with a fondness for teeny bop music and Bea Arthur. I learned a lot about writing. I got instant feedback; the audience either laughed or they didn't. I also gained a raptor impression and a couple wigs, but that really doesn't have much to do with writing.

9) I got married to a sexy hilarious woman, became a teacher, went back to school and didn't think about writing.

9) My good friend, Brandon Mull, got his break with Fablehaven. Something in me said, "If he can do it, maybe I can."

10) After I finished my Master's Degree I wanted to write something that didn't have a bibliography. I wrote a completely crazy book about a kid, an alien journal, supernatural glasses, and shape-shifters. Yeah, I probably should have stopped to actually outline that one. It got a bit crazy. It was good enough to get some attention, but not good enough to get a deal. Bonus: Shadow Mountain told me they would be interested in looking at whatever I wrote next.

11) I wrote a book crazy kids in a futuristic school who see history three-dimensionally around them (in orientation, a pirate ship sails through the front wall), run up virtual mountains in gym, and control avatars to learn about animals. I called it The Secret of Craggbridge Academy, which became, the Cragbridge Hall: The Inventor's Secret.

12) And Shadow Mountain offered me a contract.

And they gave me arcs.

And I want to give one to you. I really do.

Even if you've already entered, you can do it again. Because I like you!


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