New Project Announcement…in 1930

If you read this blog from time to time, you might have gotten a fairly good idea of my fondness for Jane Austen. And if you happened to have stopped by back in February you might have seen my post on the Art of Fan Faction, in particular, those who translate Miss Austen’s work.

Well, at last I get to tell you about an all new project I’m working on that involves both.

The Vintage Jane Austen

Several months ago I was contacted by one my favorite writing friends, Sarah Scheele, to ask if I wanted to participate in a group translating Jane Austen’s novel into 1930’s America. Yes, that’s right, the Elliots and the Bennets and even the Knightlys living in America somewhere between the two great wars.

As a lover of both Jane and fan fiction, I jumped at the offer. But those weren’t my only reasons. This was a chance to collaborate on a project with fellow writers as well as work with a structure I haven’t yet experimented with.

So, this is our introductory weekend. I hope to write more about the details of this type of project over the next several months, but to start with, here is a glimpse of where we’re headed.

I’m translating Persuasion, Jane Austen’s final novel to be completed and published posthumously.

If you don’t know the story, here is the original synopsis. Below is little insight into my translation, plus the amazing cover design provided by Hannah Scheele.

1930…
Thirteen years ago Abbey Evans was persuaded not follow her heart after a young, penniless soldier headed off to the Great War. The daughter of nationally prominent family was expected to do more, but now everything has changed. Black Tuesday left her family’s prominence little more than an illusion and their finances barely sustainable. And if facing the lost her home wasn’t enough, the only man she ever loved has returned more successful than her family could ever dream.

Also, check out the other novels in the series:

Mansfield Park – Sarah Scheele

Emma – Sarah Holman

Pride and Prejudice – Rebekah Jones

Sense and Sensibility – Kelsey Bryant

Northanger Abbey – Laura Engelmann

Want to be part of this project?

My Indie Story + Giveaway

Yes, I am ending the month of Indie Author April by actually interviewing myself. Strange, I know. But I’ve been asked before to write about my publishing experience, so I figured this might be a good opportunity to go about it. And, yes, this does end with a chance to win one of my books. :)

First tell us a little about your books.

My first mystery novel, Only Angels Are Bulletproof, was published in 2008. Since then I’ve published two novels in The Father Christmas Series, and have one novella, The Moment Max Forgot Me, available as a free download.

What formats of Indie Publishing have you used?

I used a self-publishing house for Only Angels Are Bulletproof. Both Christmas novels were published through Kindle’s ePublishing program. I used Smashwords for The Moment Max Forgot Me. They will host free books.

Do you have one you prefer above another?

While I enjoy the fact that a self-publishing house allowed me to have physical copies of my book, did editing and cover design for me and set up a few interviews, over all I’ve had a much better end result from Kindle’s program. Straight to the point, I lost money on a self-publishing house, but I’ve actually been able to make a little on Kindle. Their system is pretty comprehensive, including providing yearend tax statements.

Is there a reason you chose the independent route?

I think my initial decision to independently publish had a lot to do with both fear and impatience. Just the slightest bit of research on the publishing industry will scare you into certainty that your book will never see the light of an editor’s office. I was in my early twenties at the time, just coming off the recovery of a serious illness and not the least bit ready to face rejection like what I was reading about. I mean, really, are we ever ready?
However, in the end I’m glad I chose this route to start with. It allowed me to build some confidence, know trials and frustrations and failures in its own way, connect with readers and have amazing experiences like book signings and school events. Did I tell you I got fan art? (look here)

Do you do your own editing, cover design, and promoting as well?

Nowadays I do it all. I actually love cover design. I did both Father Christmas Novels and The Moment Max Forgot Me. Photoshop and I have fond feelings for each other. Editing and I are trying to get along. I’m kind of an intense, get it all on the paper at once, writer. So, without the help of some very patient family member-proofreaders, I would be incoherent. I am looking into a professional proofreader, but I’ll just have to see what is in the budget for this year.

Any technical issues?

Kindle does not format itself!!! If you have never published through Kindle I will stress above all else that you have to learn how to format. If you just write a manuscript in MS Word and hit upload you are going to end up with tons of weird gaps and breaks in the middle of your sentences. Do your research on this one. Kindle doesn’t get along with most word-processing programs and its “Preview” feature lies!

What did you not expect when you came into the Indie world?

I didn’t expect to have to become so technical. When I started writing I was typing up simple manuscripts on a shared family computer. These days I work off of dual screens, know how to write some basic code, design and support my own website, Photoshop covers together and feature my work on multiple social media platforms. I’m no IT wiz, but I have to know my way around.

Are you considering traditional publishing any time in the future?

Yes. I would still like to traditionally publish a book and am currently working my way towards that goal. My life never works out the way I think it should and sometimes it just plain works out irrationally, so we’ll just have to see how things go.

Any last words of advice for fellow Indie Authors?

Tons! Pay attention to your proofreading and formatting. A good cover is unfathomably valuable. Always be good to your readers and cordial to your critics. Try not to get bogged down by the people who are still trashing independent publishing like carriage company owners at the advent of the automobile, but also don’t be afraid to take a step into the traditional publishing world. And don’t Indie Publish if you aren’t going to enjoy at least a little bit of the ride. ;)

Finally, since this business is all about word of mouth, do you have any Indie Writers you enjoy?

All of the writers featured here over the last couple of weeks come highly recommended. Please, check each one of them out!
Tyrean Martinson
Loretta Boyett
Sarah Scheele
Warren Baldwin

And now for the giveaway!

Enter to win a $5 Amazon Card + a free copy of any of my books. By leaving a comment. (The Moment Max Forgot Me is always free, so don’t pick that one)

And thank you again to all of the authors and readers who have joined me over the last month. I learned something from each author’s experience. Hopefully this month has helped writers considering this route of publishing, or opened someone up to the idea of reading independent authors.

Indie Author April: Warren Baldwin + Giveaway

Round four of Indie Author April brings Author Warren Baldwin our way. We are taking a turn into the world of non-fiction today with his publishing journey. Devotionals writing is foray I know many authors are considering.
Plus he has added a great bonus to our giveaway!

First tell us a little about your book(s).

Roaring Lions, Cracking Rocks and Other Gems from Proverbs is a collection of 118 essays based on the book of Proverbs. Most of the essays are based on one verse. I wrote to the book to show that ancient wisdom has modern application. The advice of the Sages in 900 B.C. about money, honesty in relationships, sexual morals, hard work, and control of the tongue is as pertinent today as when it was first written for ancient Israel. I also wanted to give the reader a method for reading and interpreting the individual proverbs.

I wanted the book to appeal to men. There is a picture of a mountain lion on the cover and numerous stories about hunting. I am pleased that both men and women have enjoyed the book. It has been used for Bible classes, small groups, youth group classes and devotionals, sermons starters, Old Testament college classes, and private devotions.

What formats of Indie Publishing have you used? (ex: Self-publishing House, Kindle, Smashwords, Create Space)

I use Create Space. I am very happy with the price of the book and delivery time on orders. They are very easy to work with. I really appreciate that they do not pester you with marketing techniques (gimmicks?) for your book that they want you (the author) to pay for. Another company I worked with continues to push marketing campaigns on me even after I have quit using their services.

Do you have one you prefer above another?

I have only used two companies so far, and without question the one I prefer is Create Space.

Is there a reason you chose the independent route?

I wanted to get a book in print. But, I wanted to make sure it had substance. So, I sent copies to three graduate theology professors and one law professor. All four of them liked the book enough to write a blurb for the cover. I feel that gives the book some validation.

Do you do your own editing, cover design, and promoting as well?

I paid the first indie publisher to edit Roaring Lions. I was so unhappy with that service I refused to pay for it. I learned of a local professional editor and hired her to edit the book. The company did the cover design. I paid for some marketing with the first company but got no results. Most of my sales have come through speaking engagements where I am able to make my book available.

What did you not expect when you came into the Indie world?

You have to be careful with the marketing campaigns publishers offer you. The company had some expensive services that produced little or no results. This was true for me and other authors who used their marketing services. I complained to a representative of the company and he told me, confidentially, that their marketing program was not good. Authors were better off marketing on their own. Remember, my experience with marketing programs is limited to one publishing company, so I am not speaking for all of them. There may be some good ones. If you want to use a publishing company’s marketing service, I recommend asking a lot of questions about returns and ask for references of other authors who have utilized their services. I will repeat here that Create Space has never pressured me to use a marketing service. I appreciate that.

Are you considering traditional publishing any time in the future?

Yes. My doctoral project, which is in the thesis stage (and being professionally edited now) is on leadership development. I hope to rework it into a publishable document.

I have other projects that I plan to self-publish, including a follow up book on Proverbs. I am editing and reworking it before I send it to a professional editor.

Any last words of advice for fellow Indie Authors?

Spend the money for professional editing. I have read some books by Indie authors that had good content but the errors in grammar, spelling, syntax, etc. detracted from the finished product. That is a shame. A good editor is expensive, but he/she can help us produce a published work the readers can enjoy and we can take pride in.

Finally, since this business is all about word of mouth, do you have any Indie Writers you enjoy?

I enjoyed your first book! I’m sure I would enjoy the others, but Only Angels are Bulletproof is the only one of yours I have read so far.

David Irving is one. There are several historical/political writers I follow who write for a very narrow audience, so they publish independently. They aren’t well known outside of their field, but they have sold thousands of books. Their works are well researched, documented, and written.

I follow two very successful, professionally published authors. They write some things so controversial that, even with their success, traditional publishers shy away from some of their work. So, these two guys have made portions of their work available for free on their websites. Nontraditional does not mean inconsequential.

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Warren has gracious offered three signed copies of Roaring Lions, Cracking Rocks in addition to the $5 Amazon Gift card I am giving away this week. To enter to win, leave a comment with your email address. Additional points for following Warren’s Blog and Twitter. You can learn more about Roaring Lions, Cracking Rocks by visiting his website.

Also, Warren hosts a radio devotional on Proverbs. He will gladly send out an audio file on request. Just drop him a line through Facebook!

And thank you Warren for taking the time to share your journey with us!

Two Winners and Next Week’s Author

I hope everyone has had a lovely week. We’ve come to the end of week three of Indie Author April, and with that comes two winners this time thanks to author, Sarah Scheele’s generous offer of 2 copies of her collection, Facets of Fantasy.

Congrats to Tyrean and Kelsey and thank you for stopping by to chat with Sarah.

Next week we switch gear from fiction to non-fiction with Author Warren Baldwin. 

See you then!

Indie Author April – Sarah Scheele + Giveaway

I am pleased to start week three of Indie Author April with Author Sarah Scheele. Sarah and I have been sharing our writing experiences with each for so long sometimes I feel we’ve walked a lot of the publishing journey together. She has always been so helpful to me and I am glad she was able to take part in this month.
She has also offered a great addition to this week’s giveaway.

First tell us a little about your book(s).

Well, I have two collections of novellas out right now. Most of the stories were published separately at various times, but are now anthologized together as I move past phase one of my career.

Facets of Fantasy is speculative, mostly sci-fi and a little futuristic. The Valley Stories is a transition to historical, a set of three retellings in an imaginary world very similar to 18^th century Europe—Italy, Austria, and Spain. Naturally following from that, I’ve written a couple of historical novels that should be published soon. There’s a newsletter on my website, and subscribers will receive The Valley Stories Omnibus free for signing up.

What formats of Indie Publishing have you used? (ex: Self-publishing House, Kindle, Smashwords, Create Space)

I started out in CreateSpace, but switched to Kindle. CreateSpace is good for setting up a basic paperback book, but the ebook market offers much better sales. Outlets like Google Play (which will get your book to the huge Asian market that Kindle doesn’t reach) and Nook are also good options for a serious indie publisher. The only downside to ebooks is that the market is even more flooded than in the physical book world. Competition is intense—a good cover always helps!

Do you have one you prefer above another?

Ebooks, ebooks, ebooks. They are cost-efficient, period. Easier to set up and cheaper to buy. Book people have been moaning for  years about the “demise” of real solid books with crackly, real paper—but as a person who usually couldn’t afford expensive new books, I can promise you ebooks are expanding the book market. It’s easier for people on a tight budget to invest a dollar or two, whereas they might be more wary about putting down twenty-five dollars.

Is there a reason you chose the independent route?

Basically it was a matter of practicality. I needed to publish at that time for social reasons, so that people would understand I was working and developing my writing. But my work wasn’t focused enough on an identified market for me to approach agents. So I poked along for about 5 or 6 years, steadily learning and climbing the ranks. That’s how it is for a lot of the authors in indie.

Do you do your own editing, cover design, and promoting as well?

Promoting, yes—editing and cover design I gave to other people.  I’d recommend finding some friends who can help you out inexpensively. You don’t have to pay $300 for a cover design! And DO get it edited. Not that the editing Nazis really care about those little mistakes. They would easily ignore them if those same things appeared in work from a big publisher. But since you are independent—do yourself a favor.

Any technical issues?

Kindle formatting was a struggle at first, I will say that! Especially for Facets of Fantasy, I had five stories, each with several separate chapter headings, so making the TOC was a challenge until I learned the tricks. Creating the paperback was more time-consuming overall, though, because of all the details of a physical copy. So ebooks are still easier, though the formatting can be quirky sometimes.

What did you not expect when you came into the Indie world?

How narrow minded most book readers are. I’m very open-minded and enjoy a variety of genres, so this wasn’t intuitive to me. But for most readers, demographic is everything. A book can be treated miserably in one sector, have its label switched, and suddenly do very well in another zone. Especially in some genres, such as young adult, the readers are snotty, pouty piranhas with a very definite, specialized taste. Agents and publicists can be a big help in navigating the bratty little book cliques. If you don’t have an agent, walk softly, carry a big stick, and be prepared for some bumps.

Are you considering traditional publishing any time in the future?

Certainly. I always viewed indie publishing as a place to get started. I view my past body of work as a platform I can eventually carry towards more mainstream publishing.

Any last words of advice for fellow Indie Authors?

Expect to struggle. Not only are there a horde of vanity hobbyists distracting attention from the real authors, but even the really sincere writers in indie have typically not found their focus yet. Eventually you’ll find your feet and learn where you belong or whether you belong at all. It’s a roller coaster. Expect a ride.

Finally, since this business is all about word of mouth, do you have any Indie Writers you enjoy?

Surprisingly, most of the indie authors I’ve enjoyed have been rare and charming gifts off the beaten path, such as The Frog Who Would Be Prince by Norm DaPloom. But among higher profile indies, I admire the savvy marketing of historical author Roseanna White, who started a company to publish her Biblical novel and now has a strong business that includes 13 other authors. And Serena Chase, who is gaining quite a little foothold in the YA market with her fantasy series The Eyes of E’veria, is another striking new author.

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Thank you so much, Sarah, for joining me and sharing some great information! Sarah has also generously offered two copies of her book Facets of Fantasy in addition to the $5 Amazon gift card I am giving out every week. To enter to win please leave a comment with your email address. Additional points are granted for following Sarah on her blog, Facebook and Twitter.

The Winner and the Next Round of Indie Author April

Thank you to everyone who has participated in Indie Author April so far. I’ve seen a great response, especially from authors looking into this new world of publishing.

Now for the winner. Congrats to Shannon and thank you for stopping by! You are the winner of this weeks $5 Amazon gift card.

Next week we have one of my favorite fellow writers, Sarah Scheele, all ready to talk about her experience. She is also offering a great bonus to our giveaway!

Indie Author April: Loretta Boyett + Giveaway!

Week two of Indie Author April has brought Loretta Boyett, author of Deadly Betrayal here to talk with us about her walk through the Independent Publishing world. One of the biggest things I’ve learned in this process is how each Indie Author has something to teach me through their experience.

First tell us a little about your book(s).

I write Christian romantic suspense and have one published novel, Deadly Betrayal, the First in my Hidden Danger Trilogy. You can check it out on my blog.

The last two Hidden Danger novels were already started when my twenty-three-year-old granddaughter, Melissa, who was like a daughter to me, died. I fell apart and have been too devastated to write much since. However, now I’m finally ready to dive in once more and hope to complete those two soon.

What formats of Indie Publishing have you used? (ex: Self-publishing House, Kindle, Smashwords, Create Space)

I used Book Baby to self publish my ebook because I knew zilch about publishing and they were offering a premium package at a special price of $149. One great thing about Book Baby is that they pay me everything they receive from sales, taking no percentage for themselves. They also offer their ebooks on many sites and formats in addition to Amazon—iBook, Nook, etc., but that’s not as important now as it was then because Amazon has free apps that convert ebooks into these formats.

For my paperback, I used CreateSpace. They are wonderful to work with. I will definitely use them again. One big advantage is that they offer the book on Amazon as a Print On Demand that ships quickly, and you don’t have to buy books from your publisher and then pay to ship them to Amazon. This saves a lot of money. Also, they are very reasonable in the price I pay to order copies that I sell myself. I usually make $8 – $10 profit when I sell autographed copies.

Do you have one you prefer above another?

I learned a lot from Book Baby but don’t think I will need their help any longer. My next ebook will probably be published with Amazon Kindle. I published a short poem with them just to see how they work and am totally satisfied with their process. CreateSpace will definitely be my choice for the paperback.

Is there a reason you chose the independent route? 

1. I want to own my book, not sell it to a company who can make any changes they want without my approval. (I have friends who’ve had this problem.)

2. I love the challenge of learning how to do new things. Self-publishing was definitely a challenge, and I learned a whole lot.

3. The Lord called me to write, so I don’t do it for the money (good thing, huh?), but I do make a lot more from book sales than I would if I had to pay a publisher and agent their cut. And, let’s face it. We have to do most of the marketing anyway, whether we go with a publishing house or self publish.

Do you do your own editing, cover design, and promoting as well?

Editing: Although we all must self-edit, every book should be professionally edited before publication. I have a great editor/teacher/mentor who also taught me how to write fiction when I first started.

Cover Design: Hiring a book cover designer is expensive. I knew that Emily Ann Benedict had created her own cover for one of her books and questioned her about it. Following her advice, I designed my own cover using Photoshop and really enjoyed the process. For the front cover, I received directions for dimensions, etc. from Book Baby. For the back cover and spine, I obtained the necessary information from CreateSpace. I had difficulty doing the spine, so I paid CreateSpace $45 to do it.

Promotion: I’ve done very little marketing because of my granddaughter’s death. I attended two book fests, but children’s books seem to be what most people buy at these gatherings. Most of my paperback sales came from autographed copies bought by family, friends, past students, my physicians, and others whom I met in different places. I usually carry a book with me and have a box full in my trunk. I’ve sold quite a few just by having one out where it can be seen. I sold five one day in the beauty shop while I was waiting on my husband to pick me up. I had bookmarks printed and put one in every paperback I sell and everything I mail, including Christmas cards and bill payments.

Any technical issues? None that I remember.

What did you not expect when you came into the Indie world?

Being somewhat ostracized by some published authors, although this was not true of many who interviewed me on their blog. This might not be a problem now since a lot of “published” authors are beginning to self pub themselves, and self-published books can now be listed under Fiction Finder on the ACFW website.

Are you considering traditional publishing any time in the future? Not right now.

Any last words of advice for fellow Indie Authors?

— Hire a good editor. You don’t want to put your name on something that isn’t professional.

— Prepare in advance for your book release.

— Bookmarks are excellent, inexpensive giveaways. Also order a poster of your book cover to use at book signings. I used UPrinting.com for mine and they did an excellent job.

— Get an article about your book in your local newspaper, if possible. The small, neighborhood ones are easier.

— Schedule as many book signings in advance as possible.

— Of course, post an announcement on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Linkedin, Pinterest, etc. and have your Facebook author page and website ready to launch (or already out there.)

— Don’t hesitate to ask questions of other Indie authors. Most are quite willing to help you.

Finally, since this business is all about word of mouth, do you have any Indie Writers you enjoy?

This is an interesting question because it is becoming difficult to tell a self-published book from one published by a small publishing house—unless, of course, you know the names of different publishing houses. Also, a lot of famous authors are creating their own publishing house. For example, Angela Hunt, whom I read often, now has her own publishing house, and, therefore, could be considered self-published. I believe Emily Ann Benedict was the first self-published author I read. I also read a short story self-published by James Scott Bell. Catherine Leggitt’s first novel in her Christine Sterling Mystery series was self-published by WestBow Press, but the series was later picked up by Ellechor Publishing House, LLC. Right now, I’m reading a self-published novel by Jessica Nelson, who also publishes novels with Love Inspired. Rosemary Hines is another self-published author I’ve read. There are others I’m sure I’m missing. The point is, I think self-publishing is here to stay.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences and answer my questions, Loretta!
As with all Indie Author April posts one reader will receive a $5 Amazon gift card.

To enter to win, please leave a comment on this post with your email address. Additional points given for following Loretta’s Blog and Twitter Account!

The Winner and the Next Round of Indie Author April

To start with, let’s go with the winner.
Congrats to Shelley Sly! You are our winner of the first Indie Author April Week Prize – a $5 gift card to Amazon and a download of Tyrean’s Book, An eBook of Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts. Thank you again to Tyrean and everyone who stopped by to chat with us.

Now for next week!
Author Loretta Boyett will be joining us to talk about her book Deadly Betrayal and the process behind publishing it.
There will of course be more giveaways. ;)
See you next week!

Indie Author April – Tyrean Martinson + Giveaway!

Okay, it’s not quite April yet, but to make the weeks even out, we’re starting out our month of talking with Independent Authors from across the board about their experiences in this brave new world of publishing right now. And I’m happy to start this month off with one of my favorites – Author, Tyrean Martinson. (Read to the finish to find out what this week’s giveaway entails.)

First tell us a little about your book(s).

My first two novels, Champion in the Darkness and Champion in Flight, follow the action-packed journey through doubt and into faith of Clara, the youngest Champion in the history of Aramatir. The third novel in the trilogy, Champion’s Destiny, will reveal another layer to her story and include a climatic showdown with the Dark Sisterhood, but it will also open the doors for more books of Aramatir. I started out with a heroine and a sword, and I’ve found a whole world of characters I love.

I’ve also put together a few collections of short stories and poetry, Dragonfold and Other Adventures, and Light Reflections.

And, then, this year, I’m on a huge push to get some of the work that’s been foundering on my laptop out into the world including a collection of writing prompt books: A Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts in e-book, a Pocket-Sized Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts (paperback), and two Jumble Journals; and some writing curriculum books that I’ve used for my home-school co-op writing classes: Dynamic Writing 1-3.

What formats of Indie Publishing have you used? (ex: Self-publishing House, Kindle, Smashwords, Create Space)

I’ve used Kindle, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Nook Press, Lulu, and Kobo.

Do you have one you prefer above another?

I like each of them for different reasons. Kindle is an easy platform with checks and balances. Smashwords and the Smashwords Style Guide are invaluable tools for knowing that the formatting of an e-book is just right. Kobo was harder for me to learn, and took longer to upload, but I think it reaches a different audience than Kindle and Smashwords. Nook Press provides a way to upload e-books for the B&N site, again, gaining another audience – although Smashwords books also show up at B&N after about a month.

Createspace and Lulu are the only print-on-demand services I’ve used, and they also have their pros and cons.

Createspace is fast, and there are a number of helpful pages for understanding how to format the interior and cover of a book. I learned a great deal with the first book I created with Createspace. Also, Createspace offers a print and on-line proof process, and once the book is proofed, it goes to print via the Createspace store within a few minutes to a few hours. Shipping is fairly fast, too.

Lulu has many of the same options as Createspace, but the platform uploads at a slightly slower rate. Lulu only offers an online proof process and not a print proof; and although the books may be uploaded to the store website right away, the print-on-demand and shipping process is slower than at Createspace. However, one feature I really like at Lulu is that I can order a “private” print run; this is a way to either do a print proof or to create books that I don’t plan to sell on the marketplace like the books I create for my home-schooled co-op students at the end of the year with selections of their work.

Is there a reason you chose the independent route?

Two reasons: I didn’t know all of the small press options out there and I couldn’t seem to find an agent or a press that might be interested in Christian Fantasy fiction, especially Christian Fantasy fiction for YA readers with a strong, sword-wielding heroine. When I first wrote Champion in the Darkness, it seemed like Christian Fantasy books only had heroines who could knit, pray, or prophesy. The fighting was all generally left to brawny guys on white horses. So, I felt like my book with a young swords-woman wouldn’t fit in the traditional path. After a great deal of research into agents, presses, and indie publishing, I went straight to indie publishing without writing a single query letter.

Do you do your own editing, cover design, and promoting as well?

I’ve received editing help from a teacher, a gardener, an engineer, and a kind friend; and I work on editing myself. I’ve also had a few critique partners. However, I still have found some embarrassing mistakes after publication, and those are especially embarrassing since I teach writing to teens and I’ve taken college level (400 series) grammar.

With cover design, I’ve had some beautiful artwork created for me by my niece, and I’ve found inexpensive art that I’ve learned to manipulate and use for creating my book covers.

Although I have tried a few paid promotional services and may again, I have done most of the promoting myself. It’s hard, constant work, but I just keep at it.

Despite feeling shy, I’ve approached bookstore owners, home-school co-ops, and a few Pastors with my books. It’s terrifying and hard to start those conversations, but I’ve found that people actually respond pretty well.

Any technical issues?

I’ve had many. I can’t stress enough the need to back-up work every day in multiple ways – a wireless download every day is great, but I had my system break down on that part before my whole laptop died and lost my copy-edited perfect copy of my first novel. I recommend having a wireless download system and e-mailing a copy every single day. (I e-mail the copy to myself at a different e-mail account.)

What did you not expect when you came into the Indie world?

I don’t think I realized just how many indie books are being published daily, weekly, and monthly. The book market is a tough, competitive market. I’m still working on how to deal with that.

Are you considering traditional publishing any time in the future?

Yes, I have a MG paranormal novella, Eight If By Sea, coming out this year. It’s part of a thirteen book series, written by several different authors. I was hired and contracted for my part in the project (the fifth book) last December. One of the best parts: I didn’t have to query for this one either! :)

On a more traditional query path, I hope to have a project that’s ready for that by the end of this year. Then, I’ll be working on Indie publishing and querying traditional presses next year.

Any last words of advice for fellow Indie Authors?

Just keep writing. Just keep working. Create the best product you can.

If you need editing help, get it. If you need cover design help, get it. If you need marketing help, get it.

However, in all these areas, research first. Just because a place is offering an expensive service does not mean it is a good service. I’ve met authors who have spent $5,000 on services and have sold less than 100 books. That’s not a good investment return; and I know I don’t have that kind of money to waste.

Finally, since this business is all about word of mouth, do you have any Indie Writers you enjoy?

I could create a huge list here, but I’m just going to name three:
-I really love Emily Ann Benedict’s romantic Father Christmas series. :)
-For MG urban fantasy, I’m a fan of Jeff Chapman’s Give Me Your Teeth. The cover for it looks a little scary, but it’s a really sweet story about facing fears and bullies.
-For speculative fiction which ranges the gamut of fantasy, sci-fi, space opera, and horror, I’m a fan of Milo James Fowler who is both Indie and traditionally published. His faith is presented a little bit more like Tolkien’s LOTR in the world-building, but it’s definitely there.

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Thank you so much for stopping by Tyrean! Not only did Tyrean take the time to answer my questions, she also offered, in addition to the $5 Amazon card we are giving out each week, a free e-copy of her book, A Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts.

To enter to win, please leave a comment on this post with your email address. Additional point given for following Tyrean’s blog, Everyday Writer, and Facebook page.

Indie Author April

The world of publishing has changed dramatically over recent years. Independent authors have taken the world by storm, especially since Amazon jumped into the market with their Kindle Select Program. And while, yes, the debate still rages about whether or not this is good, quite loudly in some corners, the facts can’t be denied. Indie Authors have changed the face of the market. We also have a way of congregating.

Over the past several years of my writing journey I’ve had the privilege of getting to know many fellow indie writers and over the next several weeks a few of them have agreed to jump over here and share their experience and advice with us.

We begin on Monday. I hope you can join us!…Oh, yes, there will be giveaways.