2008 Woodie Awards
Getting the 'write' start
With the publication of his first novel, sophomore Bobby Wegusen is on his way to a careeer as an author
Diane Kupec
Issue date: 11/11/05 Section: Features
While working on Rush for Power, Wegusen turned to his family and closest friends for support and advice.
His mother, Betsy Wegusen, read the story several times throughout the writing process, offering only minor suggestions, and finding herself amazed by her son's ideas and literary gifts.
"To him, it comes so easy," Mrs. Wegusen said of her son's writing. "Besides the fact, I'm a biased mom, I'm still in awe."
Wegusen also gave a copy of the work to Lou Jobst, his high school English teacher, for review.
"I quite honestly told him that I thought it had promise," Jobst said.
He also said he found himself compelled to read Rush for Power, even after long days of teaching classes and grading papers.
"I really looked forward to picking it up again," Jobst said. "That was probably the best sign and best compliment I could give him."
Wegusen finished Rush for Power the summer after his junior year and soon began toying with the idea of publication. His big break finally came during spring break of his first year at Miami.
While reading a St. Louis newspaper, Mrs. Wegusen found an ad for a conference about getting published. A local women's press organization and AuthorHouse, a self-publishing company based in Indianapolis hosted the event.
Intrigued, Wegusen decided to attend. At the conference he stood out in the crowd.
"Bobby was this one male in a sea of women," said Becky Dulin, an author service representative publishing consultant with AuthorHouse.
Wegusen approached AuthorHouse representatives with a copy of his manuscript. Much to his surprise, they offered to publish the book.
Though AuthorHouse usually requires aspiring authors to purchase publishing packages, the company ultimately decided to publish Wegusen's book traditionally. Dulin said it saved Wegusen $698 in fees.
It also saved him from having to find a literary agent and allowed him to retain all rights to the book, meaning he can have it published by another company in the future.
His mother, Betsy Wegusen, read the story several times throughout the writing process, offering only minor suggestions, and finding herself amazed by her son's ideas and literary gifts.
"To him, it comes so easy," Mrs. Wegusen said of her son's writing. "Besides the fact, I'm a biased mom, I'm still in awe."
Wegusen also gave a copy of the work to Lou Jobst, his high school English teacher, for review.
"I quite honestly told him that I thought it had promise," Jobst said.
He also said he found himself compelled to read Rush for Power, even after long days of teaching classes and grading papers.
"I really looked forward to picking it up again," Jobst said. "That was probably the best sign and best compliment I could give him."
Wegusen finished Rush for Power the summer after his junior year and soon began toying with the idea of publication. His big break finally came during spring break of his first year at Miami.
While reading a St. Louis newspaper, Mrs. Wegusen found an ad for a conference about getting published. A local women's press organization and AuthorHouse, a self-publishing company based in Indianapolis hosted the event.
Intrigued, Wegusen decided to attend. At the conference he stood out in the crowd.
"Bobby was this one male in a sea of women," said Becky Dulin, an author service representative publishing consultant with AuthorHouse.
Wegusen approached AuthorHouse representatives with a copy of his manuscript. Much to his surprise, they offered to publish the book.
Though AuthorHouse usually requires aspiring authors to purchase publishing packages, the company ultimately decided to publish Wegusen's book traditionally. Dulin said it saved Wegusen $698 in fees.
It also saved him from having to find a literary agent and allowed him to retain all rights to the book, meaning he can have it published by another company in the future.
