In 2006 Laura Fitzgerald's debut novel, Veil of Roses was released. The sweet story of love and cultural discovery centered around Tamila Soroush, an Iranian woman sent to the USA by her parents to "wake up your luck". The story found a receptive audience and became popular with book clubs and reading groups.

Laura followed up Veil of Roses with the national bestseller One True Theory of Love, and though many other writing projects clamored for her attention, her fans kept asking her to revisit the wonderful characters from Veil of Roses. As any author knows, an idea, once planted, is hard to shake. It turns out that Tami, Maryam, and the rest of the characters from Veil of Roses still had stories to tell.

When you write with the goal of publication, you're writing something you hope people will pay money for in the future. Whether it's an inexpensive ebook or a hefty collectible hardbound edition is up to you (or your publisher) but one thing remains the same: If you want people to pay for your writing, you need to make sure they're getting their money's worth.

Think of your writing as a meal at a restaurant. Most hardback books cost $20 and up, so you're looking at a decent steak dinner or at the least a fancy hamburger and appetizer combo. If you ask people to pay that $20 and then serve up a dollar menu item what will your readers think?

In 1929, at the height of the tuberculosis epidemic, a patient dies every hour at the Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanatorium. Wolfgang Pike is both priest and doctor at the sanatorium, but his medicine can't cure the sick and his religion can't bring peace to them--nor to himself. He was a doctor before he was a priest, and in between he met and married the love of his life, Rose, who died tragically on a downtown street. His new life revolves around writing the perfect requiem for his late wife. But nothing is perfect enough for Rose's memory.

This is the story of THE REQUIEM ROSE, a historical novel that immerses the reader in Louisville, Kentucky between the great World Wars. Against the backdrop of political turmoil and the sweeping tuberculosis epidemic, James Markert spins a tale that's equal parts mystery, romance, and drama. The Requiem Rose was published by Butler Books and released in August 2010, and has enjoyed a warm reception since then. As Jeffrey Reed, music director of Orchestra Kentucky, said, "The movie Amadeus showed us how a requiem possibly brought about the demise of its composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Conversely, in The Requiem Rose, James Markert shows us how music can be a life-saving force; a reason for living." We've invited James Markert to share more about his creation here.

TED: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of the book idea.

JM: Waverly Hills is an abandoned tuberculosis hospital near where I grew up as a child and it is known to be possibly the most haunted building in the world. I toured it a few years ago fully intending to write something scary, but then fell in love with the architecture of the massive building and became more intrigued by the flesh and blood inhabitants that stayed there. So I thought, okay, what if it is haunted? And I'm surrounded by ghosts...what's their story? So as I stood out on the fourth floor solarium porch overlooking the woods, I watched the leaves blow in the breeze and imagined the sound of a violin playing, and then a piano, and the story was born.

One of the most exciting things about the small press market is the ability to publish books that cross broad genre boundaries. Joan M. Sargent's TURKOISE, billed as Visionary Fiction, is one such book. It was released by Parendi Press in June, 2010. Combining elements of historical and multicultural fiction, a touch of magical realism, and a strong romantic element, Turkoise is a multiple award winning debut novel. The story of the book's genesis--a concussion followed by vivid dreams and uncanny coincidences--is almost as fascinating as the story itself. We invited Joan Sargent to share more about the book and her creative process here.

In a journey that could heal her heart, or end her life, a young journalist grieving the sudden death of her fiancé is called on to investigate a psychiatric patient's claims of reincarnation with a soul mate across time.

TED: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of the book idea and/or how you came to decide to write it.

Road Signs: A Story of Practical Magic">Straddling the line between fantasy and literary fiction is a genre known as magical realism. It combines the poetic punch of literature with surreal and otherworldly elements to make a genre far richer than either genre alone. Our editors were pleased to work with such a book recently, and we're even more pleased to announce that Jay Archer David's ROAD SIGNS is now available to the public. "There is a road between places, between things, peoples and times. It conceals magic, bestows power-but mostly we travel it with eyes closed. David wants to open his eyes and travel farther." This is the premise behind ROAD SIGNS, and we've invited Jay Archer David to share more about his book, its creation, and his decision to self publish,  here.

TED: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of the book idea and/or how you came to decide to write it.

For me, Halloween has always signified the start of the fall holiday season. From here it's a quick hop into Thanksgiving, and then the Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice is upon us. These are all great holidays for families, and if you're looking for the perfect book to share with the children (and kids at heart) in your life, The Goopy Ghost of Halloween by V.R. Duin can't be beat. Goopy is the story of a displaced pile of pumpkin "goo" on the search for a new home after its pumpkin was turned into a jack o' lantern. If you've ever wondered what happens to pumpkin "goo" when the carving is done, V.R. has the answer for you! V.R. Duin worked with Renni Browne on this successful self-published effort, and a Thanksgiving-themed sequel is in the works now.

In the meantime, a second Goopy book is also available now: The Goopy Ghost at Christmas. Why should Goopy's adventures stop on October 31st? V.R. Duin says,"This rhyming, illustrated sequel is about one very goopy ghost that is determined to have a very merry time as it makes its way from a new haunt to the back of Santa’s sleigh. When Santa’s elves get into the “spirit” of the season, there’s even more fun to be had." The books feature gorgeous, vibrant artwork, and are perfect for young readers or reading aloud. We're pleased to have been a part of Goopy's development and encourage everyone to view the book trailer and follow it's author on Facebook for all the latest Goopy news.

"A cabin hidden behind a padlocked gate, no power, no phone, just Revelation and a .38…a true story of abuse, loss, redemption and hope."

AS THE SYCAMORE GROWS, by Jennie Helderman, is a true story of domestic violence, told from the perspective of both the victim and the abuser. It's a unique take and provides an entirely new perspective on a very important, but often overlooked, subject. Unlike many books of this genre, SYCAMORE uses real names and places. The details were not changed, and the book includes photographs and copies of court documents from the participants. It was released by Summers Bridgewater Press, Inc. on October 11, 2010. To celebrate SYCAMORE's release in paperback and Kindle format, we invited author Jennie Helderman to tell us a little more about herself and the book. First, a little about Jennie and her approach to writing:

JH: I like to find out the how and why of things, whether it's reading mysteries, playing word games or working at Pompeii as I did one summer. I like to travel, but not with groups. I don't stay in line very well. I need to walk, let my feet touch the earth, and meet the people along the way. Back in 2000 I walked 125 miles of the Camino across northern Spain and I cherish that experience.

TED: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of the book idea and/or how you came to decide to write it.

I wrote my first National Novel Writing Month novel in 2002, and the t-shirts for that year were emblazoned with "No Plot? No Problem!" (later the title to Chris Baty's excellent how-to guide to NaNoWriMo). I always wear that shirt a few times during November, so I may be biased here, but I feel that many NaNo participants put far too much focus on plot.

NaNoWriMo participants often define themselves as Pantsers or Plotters. Pantsers are the "seat of the pants" writers who dive in to writing with only a wisp of an idea. Plotters take the more organized approach of planning their characters or story arc before writing. I'm a pantser with plotter leanings, but I think there is merit to both approaches. Unfortunately, most of the pre-NaNo chatter seems to revolve around plot, plot, plot. "Do you have a plot?" "What's your story about?". Bloggers everywhere are offering advice on how to plot your story, how to outline, and how to organize your pre-writing research. That's all well and good, but I think many people spend so much time obsessing on plot that they forget the most essential element of their stories: the characters. A plot is only as exciting as the characters who carry it, and if you don't have compelling characters, no amount of plot scheming will save your story.

A few years ago, I was fortunate to stumble upon a 5-week writing class at my local community college. I had a B.A. in English with an emphasis in creative writing, but I learned more from this little class than in all four years of college. The best lesson of the class can be summed up in eight words, and it completely changed my approach to writing.

This past week we received the thrilling news that two TED clients have been offered agent representation. Georgia McBride, author of the YA thriller PRAEFATIO, has signed with Mark McVeigh of The McVeigh Agency , and suspense novelist Nick Daniels, author of THE JIHAD'S MESSIAH, is now represented by Nicholas Croce of The Croce Agency after successful placement via our agent matchmaking program.

We previously featured Georgia McBride in our Building Your Author's Platform series, and she is proof that a great story and a strong online presence make an author irresistible to an agent. PRAEFATIO is the story of Grace Ann Miller, a girl found on a rock star's front lawn with no memory of how she got there. While the media has a field day with the rock star's arrest, "Grace has a much more shocking tale for the police than kidnapping. A secret existence steeped in ancient Biblical myth and guarded by the highest order of Angels-resulting in blood, death and more grief than Grace could ever imagine." Georgia is sharing the first chapter of PRAEFATIO on her web site, and you can view a book trailer there as well.

Now that Fall is here, it's the perfect time for a fire in the fireplace and a good book in your hands. For many people, nothing is better than curling up with an engrossing whodunnit. While there is no shortage of mystery and thriller titles on bookstore shelves, there is always room for the next great police procedural or crime-solving grandmother. When you're done with the latest bestseller and ready to tackle writing your own, the following resources (compiled by our wonderful intern Deb Signorli) will help you bring the right amount of mystery or grit to your story.