Novel by local author set for worldwide release
Wooster author Dottie Sines holds a copy of “Where the Stars Cross,” a novel that is set to be released worldwide on Sept. 11.
Even the back-and-forth creaking of the old porch swing couldn’t distract Dottie Sines from the books that captivated her as a child. When she wasn’t playing tag in the backyard or hopscotch on the sidewalk, she often could be found swaying on the front porch of her family’s Wooster home, her nose in a book. She also wrote books.
“I would write stories on little scraps of paper, then staple them together into tiny books,” she said. “I wish I’d realized way back then that I could one day be an actual published author.”
She is now. “Where the Stars Cross,” a historical romance, will launch worldwide by New York-based publisher The Wild Rose Press on Sept. 11.
“It’s been quite the process,” Sines said. “I actually began this novel, I would say halfheartedly, a couple decades ago. But I was working full-time and raising two teenage sons who were very active in sports, so I worked on the novel only occasionally.”
Then came a lengthy period when the manuscript figuratively collected dust, and it was only a few years ago that Sines declared it time to get serious and finish the thing. Working diligently, she finally completed the novel and sent it off to literary agents. The response?
“Well normally, you hear nothing back, and if you do, it’s a form email politely declining representation,” Sines said.
Meanwhile, she studied fiction writing through books and online articles, revised her manuscript, and submitted it to more agents. This time around she received a few requests for the full manuscript.
“Initial submissions usually involve providing a small writing sample,” Sines said, “and if an agent likes what they read, they ask to read the full, but this is rare.”
Elated, she would send off the whole manuscript, after which she would receive more rejections. But this time the agents would provide a bit of feedback, and Sines realized her writing hadn’t previously been ready to submit. With tangible input, she understood what was wrong with her writing.
“I think I was a bit naive and overconfident at first,” she said. “I thought, ‘Hey, I’m a good speller, I have good grammar and know my punctuation; that’s half the battle.’ Ha! That was a fraction of the battle. There’s so much involved with the art such as balancing narrative with dialogue and action, showing as opposed to telling, creating settings, evoking emotion.”
Despite dozens of rejections and with statistics estimating only 3% of novels written wind up being traditionally published — meaning not self-published and not through a paid publishing service — Sines kept trying. She began winning awards for her short stories including twice being named one of 10 finalists in the annual short story contest of The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park, which published her winning stories in the third and fifth editions of its literary journal, Hemingway Shorts. With this affirmation of her writing skills, Sines further studied writing and refining her novel, and it finally paid off when she was offered a publishing contract.
“I was overjoyed,” she said. “I just really wanted to hold a book in my hands that I wrote and to have it live on in a few bookcases. Opening that box of books delivered to my house was a lifelong dream come true.”
“Where the Stars Cross” tells the story of the fictional Eleanor Helene Todd, who is struggling to adjust to her changing life amid the depths of The Great Depression. She lives in a Chicago suburb but visits a favorite aunt as often as possible in the historic river town of Marietta, Ohio.
“Marietta has always been one of my favorite destinations, and it’s often cited nationally as one of the most charming small towns in the country to visit,” Sines said. “So when I began writing this novel, Marietta emerged as the perfect setting.”
Although the storyline is fictional, Sines researched extensively to portray Marietta and the 1930s as accurately as possible. The tale includes a 1937 Ohio River flood, one of the nation’s worst, and is rich with river culture, but it focuses on the protagonist’s journey to find the place where she belongs.
“Eleanor responds to her many challenges in ways not typical for women of the era,” Sines said. “I hope my readers will be inspired by the book’s themes of hope, courage and restoration.”
Sines’ first two author events, held recently in Marietta, were heavily attended by the locals, who were delighted at the novel being set in their town. The book has made Amazon’s Hot New Release list in 20th century historical romance.
“I didn’t know what to expect once the book actually existed,” Sines said, “but it’s been thrilling.”
“Where the Stars Cross” is available now for preorder in print and e-book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Target, Google Books and several other retailers. Check out dottiesines.com and follow the author on Facebook (Dottie Sines Author) for more information and news.
Sines will appear at Grigio Wine & Cocktail Bar on Wednesday, Sept. 18 from 7-9 p.m., where she will sign copies of her book. Anyone who already has a copy of the book is encouraged to bring it to be signed. The event will be a 1930s themed celebration with specially crafted cocktails and music of the era.